Toronto police are searching for two suspects and investigating possible terrorism links after gunfire struck the U.S. Consulate in downtown Toronto early Tuesday morning, an incident authorities say is being treated as a potential national security matter.
Police say the shooting occurred near the diplomatic building at 360 University Avenue around 5:30 a.m., prompting a large police response and road closures in the city’s downtown core. No injuries were reported, even though employees were inside the building when the shots were fired.
Investigators say the suspects arrived in a white Honda CRV before opening fire on the building and fleeing the area.
Speaking to reporters outside the consulate Tuesday morning, Toronto Police Deputy Chief Frank Barredo outlined the sequence of events captured through witness information.
“There is witness evidence to show that a vehicle travelling westbound on Dundas Street, a white Honda CRV, turned southbound at University Avenue and stopped in front of 360 University, the U.S. Consulate,” Barredo said.
“There, two individuals emerged from the vehicle, discharged what appears to be a handgun at the front of the building, and then got back into their vehicle and drove southbound.”
Police have released an image of the suspect vehicle and are asking the public for help identifying it.
Barredo said officers first learned about the incident after an officer in the area was flagged down. Responding units later located evidence of gunfire and damage to the building’s exterior.
Authorities confirmed people were inside the consulate during the shooting but said no one was hurt.
Barredo said the building’s security infrastructure likely prevented the gunfire from causing serious damage.
He said the facility is “heavily fortified,” noting investigators do not believe the walls, bulletproof windows, or doors were penetrated by the gunfire. Employees inside the building might not have even realized shots had been fired.
Several police cruisers and forensic teams were seen gathering evidence Tuesday morning while southbound lanes of University Avenue remained closed between Dundas and Queen streets.
Toronto police confirmed the integrated gun and gang task force is leading the investigation with support from the RCMP and other police services across the Greater Toronto Area.
Chief Superintendent Chris Leather, Officer in Charge of Criminal Operations for RCMP Ontario, said authorities are approaching the incident with national security concerns in mind.
“Whether it is a terrorist event or not that will be subject to the investigation that will be undertaken in the coming days or weeks,” he said.
Leather also said the public will notice increased security measures at the U.S. and Israeli consulates in Toronto and Ottawa.
The shooting comes after three other gun attacks targeting synagogues in the Greater Toronto Area in recent days. Police have not confirmed any connection between those incidents and the consulate shooting.
“We definitely will be looking at any possible connections. Obviously, it is far too early in this investigation but we do not look at them in isolation. We look at them collectively. And if and how there something that is found to support that, then that will obviously colour and direct how the investigation unfolds,” Barredo said.
“But it is not lost on us that the city has unfortunately experienced similar types of events, extremely serious and very concerning shootings at synagogues, and this very much factors in to how we will approach this matter as well.”
Police continue to urge anyone with information about the suspects or the white Honda CRV to contact investigators. The investigation remains active as authorities work to determine the motive behind the shooting.
