York Regional Police (YRP) are searching for a man allegedly involved in the shooting of a 65-year-old man in Schomberg while he was walking his dog in February 2023.

YRP says the shooting involved members of the Mara Salvatrucha street gang, known as MS-13, who were hired by an organized crime group to kill a man, but they targeted the wrong person. The victim was shot 13 times and survived.

Police say Ronald Mortaya-Cruz, also known as Azul, faces charges of engaging in criminal organization activities.

They say that in May, after his release on bail, the 43-year-old man removed his GPS tracking device. Mortaya-Cruz was last seen in the area of ​​Keele Street and Grandravine Drive in Toronto.

An arrest warrant has been issued for him.

“All avenues of investigation have been exhausted and his whereabouts remain unknown,” police said in a statement Thursday.

Police say he should be considered armed and dangerous, and are warning the public not to approach him but to contact authorities or Crime Stoppers.

Mortaya-Cruz is five feet nine inches tall, stocky, with short black hair, a long beard and brown eyes. He has tattoos on his right hand, both forearms and the left side of his neck.

Police noted he has connections to the Greater Toronto Area and Hamilton.