Toronto police are investigating after shots were fired at the US consulate in the city for the second time this year. The incident occurred early on Monday morning, 27 July 2026, when an officer stationed outside the building heard a gunshot and observed a white car, lacking a licence plate, rapidly leaving the scene. Officers initiated a high-speed pursuit of the vehicle, but the chase was called off due to safety concerns, and the suspect remains at large. No injuries were reported, though one shell casing was recovered, and damage to the building's facade was noted.
This latest attack follows a similar shooting incident at the consulate in March, which authorities have linked to a wider 'gun-for-hire' network. In June, Toronto police arrested three individuals, aged 18 and 19, in connection with that earlier attack and a series of other shootings. The June operation tragically resulted in the death of 43-year-old Constable Marc Pinizzotto, a police officer.
Toronto Police Deputy Chief Frank Barredo confirmed that at least two individuals were inside the consulate at the time of Monday's shooting, but due to the building's robust fortifications, they likely did not hear the gunshot. He described the building as 'very heavily fortified'. The investigation into this 'brazen' attack, as described by Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow, is ongoing, with local police receiving assistance from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and international law enforcement partners.
Superintendent Jonathan Ko of the RCMP called the event 'another troubling incident'. Police have maintained a constant presence outside the consulate since the March shooting, which they had previously classified as a 'national security incident'. While no direct link has been established, the recent consulate attack comes shortly after two Jewish-owned bakeries in the city were also targeted, at least one by gunfire, over the weekend. Police have not ruled out a connection between these incidents.
The broader context also includes the May arrest of Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi, a 32-year-old Iraqi national, by US officials. Al-Saadi is alleged to have planned numerous attacks across North America and Europe, targeting Jewish institutions and US interests, including the US consulate in Toronto. Toronto police have not yet commented on whether al-Saadi is connected to their ongoing investigation into the consulate shootings, nor have they specified a motive for the latest attack.