According to reports, a shooting occurred outside the US Consulate General in Toronto on July 27, local time. Toronto police confirmed that at least one bullet was fired near the consulate, but no injuries were reported. This marks the second time this year the consulate has been targeted by gunfire.
Police said that officers assigned to guard the consulate heard gunshots around 4:45 a.m. on the 27th. They found shell casings at the scene and noticed damage to the front of the consulate building.
A white car was seen fleeing the scene. Due to a lack of air support and the suspect vehicle speeding away, police chose to halt the chase near a highway for safety reasons. So far, no injuries have been reported.
As for the motive behind the shooting or whether it’s linked to previous attacks on the consulate, police haven’t shared more details.
Back on March 10, the US Consulate General in Toronto also experienced a shooting. At that time, Canadian police arrested three suspects and stationed a security team near the consulate. In this latest incident, it was officers from that same security team who first reported the gunfire.
Toronto police also mentioned in June that some young people were being paid to carry out targeted shootings, with targets including a synagogue, a Jewish school, and the US Consulate. However, no further details were disclosed.
A US State Department spokesperson said the US government is working closely with Canadian authorities on this incident. The spokesperson added that the US Embassy and consulates in Canada remain open and operating normally, though some consular services in Toronto have been adjusted.