On October 9, 2023, at 5:05 a.m., the Pickering Casino Resort at 888 Durham Live Avenue became the scene of a deadly shooting that killed a security guard and triggered a major homicide investigation in Durham Region, Ontario. Police received reports of several shots fired near Church Street and Highway 401, and when officers arrived, they found a man with life-threatening gunshot wounds inside the casino.

The victim was Michael Ferdinand, a 34-year-old security guard who was working at the casino when the shooting happened. Ferdinand was an employee of the Pickering Casino Resort, which is operated by Great Canadian Entertainment, a Toronto-based gaming company. After being rushed to a Toronto trauma center, he was later pronounced dead, leaving his family and coworkers searching for answers about why he was targeted.

The suspects were a group of armed men and women who arrived at the casino, shot Ferdinand during an interaction with him, and then fled the scene immediately. Police have not determined what led to the confrontation or established a clear motive for the crime, though investigators confirmed the suspects were not attempting a robbery at the time.

The primary suspect is Tyjae Nosworthy-Smith, who was 17 years old when he killed Ferdinand on October 9, 2023. He is wanted on a Canada-wide warrant for Second Degree Murder and has been evading capture for more than two years. Durham Police continue to actively search for him and have issued a public appeal for anyone with information to contact authorities.

When the shooting occurred, the entire casino and hotel were immediately evacuated and closed for investigation. The Pickering Casino Resort posted on its website: “Pickering Casino Resort is temporarily closed. We’ll notify you when the property reopens.” Hotel guests were allowed to stay in their rooms or leave at their discretion during the evacuation on Thanksgiving morning.

More than two years after the tragedy, Ferdinand’s family and Durham Police are still seeking answers and public help to find the suspect. In December 2025, the family once again pleaded with the community to provide information about Tyjae Nosworthy-Smith, who remains at freedom despite a Canada-wide murder warrant issued for his capture.

The Pickering Casino Resort eventually reopened with major amenities including 2,200 slot machines, 90 live gaming tables, 50 electronic table games, and a 2,500-seat arena for entertainment. However, the fatal shooting of Michael Ferdinand remains an unresolved homicide that continues to haunt the Pickering community and the families of everyone involved.

Other criminal incidents have also occurred at the casino since it opened. In August 2023, two baccarat dealers were arrested in the high-stakes section for alleged misconduct. In July 2024, two men were arrested at the resort for car theft, and police found drugs and a loaded gun in the stolen vehicle they were driving.

The shooting site at 888 Durham Live Avenue remains a place where the community remembers Michael Ferdinand, a young security guard who was killed while simply doing his job protecting the casino. His death on October 9, 2023, changed how people view safety at entertainment venues and sparked ongoing calls for better security measures across Ontario gaming properties.

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