At least one gunshot struck the facade of the United States consulate in downtown Toronto early Monday, July 27, marking the second time in four months the diplomatic compound has been targeted by gunfire as local authorities launch a multi-agency investigation.
Early Morning Shooting and Police Response
The shooting occurred around 04:45 local time (09:45 BST) on University Avenue, according to Toronto police. Officers patrolling the area heard a firearm being discharged and quickly cordoned off the block, where they recovered at least one shell casing and confirmed damage to the building’s exterior.
A white sedan was seen fleeing the scene immediately following the gunfire. Police noted that no injuries were reported in connection with Monday’s attack, though at least two individuals were inside the compound at the time. Because the building is very heavily fortified, those inside likely did not hear the gunshot.
Toronto Police Deputy Chief Frank Barredo noted that an officer stationed in a vehicle outside the consulate informed colleagues that he had spotted a white Honda Accord without license plates after hearing the shot. Officers then pursued the vehicle onto Gerrard Street and subsequently onto the Don Valley Parkway, reaching speeds exceeding 140 km/h before the chase ended near the Don Mills Road exit on the highway without air support. Deputy Chief Barredo noted that the result of the pursuit might have been different if the police force had been able to secure aerial support.
“Nous avons affaire à un individu ou des individus très dangereux.”
Frank Barredo, chef adjoint de la police de Toronto
Parallels to the March Attack and Wider Security Fears
Monday’s incident bears striking similarities to an earlier assault on the same diplomatic mission. On March 10, several shots were fired at the consulate in what police described as a national security incident,
prompting beefed-up protection for US and Israeli diplomatic buildings in the Canadian city as war gripped the Middle East. Police have been stationed outside the consulate since March following that initial attack, in which no one was injured. In June, police carried out raids in relation to the March shooting and arrested several suspects aged 18 and 19 for allegedly carrying out a string of shootings as part of a larger gun-for-hire network. Authorities indicated that young people in the Toronto area were being paid to shoot at various targets, including synagogues, Jewish schools, and the U.S. Consulate. During one June operation, a 43-year-old police officer, Const Marc Pinizzotto, was killed. Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow stated that she had spoken to the federal minister of public safety regarding the new incident, calling the attack “brazen” and highlighting that the presence of a police officer directly in front of the building at the time of the alleged facts demonstrated the brazen character of the attack.
Toronto city councillor James Pasternak denounced the situation on X, asking what kind of city Toronto had become and stating that contract shooters are being paid to sow terror in the city.
Ongoing Investigation and International Coordination
Investigators are coordinating across jurisdictions to identify the suspects behind Monday’s gunfire. The Toronto Police Service is investigating the latest attack with the help of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and international law enforcement partners to track down the white sedan and its occupants.
Supt Jonathan Ko with the RCMP called it another troubling incident.
Meanwhile, in a post on X, the US consulate thanked the police for their response to Monday’s shooting.
While investigators are also looking into separate weekend gunfire incidents targeting two Jewish-owned bakeries in the city—with at least one targeted by gunfire—police stated on Monday that there was currently nothing to link the two incidents, though they did not rule out a connection. In May, US officials arrested a 32-year-old Iraqi national, Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi, for allegedly planning more than a dozen attacks in North America and Europe targeting Jewish institutions and US interests, including the one at the US consulate in Toronto. Police in Toronto have not said if al-Saadi is linked to their investigation, and they have not specified a motive for this latest consulate shooting. Officers across the city have been asked to look out for potential suspects as Deputy Chief Barredo stated, We will bring the people responsible to justice.
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