Toronto police are investigating a shooting incident at the U.S. Consulate in Toronto that occurred early Monday morning. This marks the second time the consulate has been targeted this year. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and international law enforcement partners are assisting in the investigation.
According to Toronto Police Deputy Chief Frank Barredo, the shooting took place around 4:45 a.m. local time. Officers found a shell casing at the scene and observed damage to the building's facade. Two individuals were inside the consulate at the time, but Barredo noted the building is heavily fortified, and those inside likely did not hear the gunfire.
Police have requested citywide vigilance for potential suspects and vowed to bring those responsible to justice. The U.S. Consulate in Toronto acknowledged the police response in a statement on X.
This is not the first incident at the consulate this year. In March, shots were fired outside the building in what police then described as a "national security incident." No injuries were reported in that attack. In June, authorities conducted raids in connection with the March shooting, during which a police officer, Const. Marc Pinizzotto, was killed. Several suspects, aged 18 and 19, were later arrested and accused of carrying out a series of shootings, including the March consulate attack, as part of a gun-for-hire network.
In May, U.S. officials arrested Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi, a 32-year-old Iraqi national, for allegedly planning numerous attacks across North America and Europe targeting Jewish institutions and U.S. interests. Toronto police have not confirmed if al-Saadi is connected to the current investigation, nor have they specified a motive for the latest shooting.
In a separate development, two Jewish-owned bakeries in Toronto were also targeted over the weekend, with at least one experiencing gunfire. Police are currently examining whether there is a link between these incidents and the consulate shooting, though no connection has been established.
Police pursued suspects in a high-speed car chase following the Monday morning shooting but were unable to make an arrest. The suspect remains at large.