Key facts
- A single gunshot was fired outside the U.S. Consulate in Toronto early Monday.
- No injuries were reported in the incident.
- A white sedan was seen fleeing the scene, and police briefly pursued it.
- This is the second shooting at the consulate this year; the first occurred in March.
- The March incident led to arrests linked to a gun-for-hire network.
- Damage to the building's facade and a shell casing were recovered.
Toronto police are investigating a shooting that occurred outside the U.S. Consulate in the city's downtown core early Monday morning. Officers were called to the area around 4:45 a.m. after hearing a gunshot and subsequently found evidence of a firearm discharge outside the building. No injuries were reported.
Investigators reported that a white sedan was seen fleeing the scene immediately after the shot was fired. Police briefly engaged in a high-speed car chase before ending it over safety concerns. At this time, there is no suspect description, and no arrests have been made. Police have not confirmed whether the consulate itself was the intended target, stating only that the shooting occurred outside and it remains unclear if the round was aimed at the building or a person. Damage to the building's facade and one shell casing were recovered.
This incident is the second shooting at the U.S. Consulate this year. On March 10, multiple rounds were fired at the building's front entrance by two suspects who fled in a stolen vehicle. That case triggered a national security investigation involving Toronto police and the RCMP, leading to multiple arrests. Police had previously stated that young people in the Toronto area were allegedly being paid to shoot at various targets, including synagogues, Jewish schools, and the U.S. Consulate. In May, US officials arrested an 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 U.S. consulate in Toronto. Police in Toronto have not said if al-Saadi is linked to their investigation.
The area around the consulate has been cordoned off, with parts of University Avenue closed to traffic and pedestrians. Police are appealing for information and dashcam footage from the area. Supt Jonathan Ko with the RCMP called it "another troubling incident", while the city's mayor, Olivia Chow, called the attack "brazen".