Authorities in Toronto have reported that two men fired shots at the U.S. Consulate on Tuesday morning.
Toronto’s police chief announced early Tuesday that two suspects exited a vehicle and fired multiple shots at the consulate in downtown Toronto. The two suspects remain unidentified and are at large.
According to Deputy Chief Frank Barredo of the Toronto Police Service, the shooters drove by the heavily fortified beige building around 4:30 a.m., got out of a white Honda CR-V, and both fired multiple shots using one handgun. No injuries were reported. Television images showed bullet marks in the glass door at the main entrance of the consulate.
The U.S. Consulate is located on a busy boulevard that leads to Ontario’s legislature and is lined by major courthouses and hospitals. Part of the road directly in front of the building was closed at sunrise for security reasons. Police are seeking witnesses who may have captured footage on dashboard cameras.
The consulate, which is near City Hall, has previously been the site of protests against the United States, including a demonstration this weekend that opposed the American and Israeli attack on Iran. Authorities have announced additional security measures for both the American and Israeli consulates in Toronto and Ottawa. Last week, shots were fired at three synagogues in Toronto.
Chris Leather, a chief superintendent with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, stated: “These consulates deserve a heightened amount of vigilance and security at this time to bring down the temperature in the coming days and weeks.” Ontario Premier Doug Ford condemned the shooting on social media, calling it an “absolutely unacceptable act of violence and intimidation aimed at our American friends and neighbors.” Ford added that police at all levels would use every resource to find the perpetrators and that there is zero tolerance for such behavior.
The U.S. State Department confirmed it was aware of the incident and was closely monitoring the situation in coordination with local law enforcement. This attack occurred shortly after an explosion of an improvised explosive device outside the U.S. Embassy in Oslo, Norway, on Sunday. Police are still searching for a suspect in that case and investigating whether it is linked to Operation Epic Fury, which entered its 11th day on Tuesday.