Shots fired at US consulate in Toronto, investigators searching for 2 suspects: Police
Investigators are looking for two suspects and clues after shots were fired at the U.S. consulate in Toronto on Tuesday morning.
There were people inside the building at the time, but no one was injured, Toronto Police Service Deputy Chief Frank Barredo said. Officers got a call about the shooting around 5:29 a.m., and found shell casings and damage to the building when they arrived, he noted.
Witnesses observed two people emerging from a white Honda CR-V and discharge a handgun at the consulate before driving away, according to Barredo.
"This is very early in the investigation. It is very active, and we are aggressively assigning investigative resources to determine what happened and to bring the offenders to justice," he told reporters.
Chris Leather, the chief superintendent for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Ontario Criminal Operations, told reporters that it is "being treated as a national security incident," and prompted increased security around embassies in Toronto and Ottawa.
"There will be no tolerance for any form of intimidation, harassment, or harmful targeting of any communities or individuals in Canada. We want to ensure that everyone's safety and security remain at the forefront of everything we do," he said.
Leather noted that it was too early to determine if the shooting was linked to the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.
The RCMP is in communication with the FBI and other U.S. agencies, Leather said.
A spokesperson for the U.S. embassy deferred all questions about the investigation to the Toronto police.
"We thank the Toronto Police Service for their quick action to protect our facility, staff, and visitors," the spokesperson said in a statement.
Leather noted that recent incidents in Toronto and elsewhere have prompted a need for heightened vigilance and security around diplomatic missions, expressing hope that these measures will help "bring the temperature down in the coming days and weeks."
