TORONTO — Toronto police are investigating a shooting at the US consulate in downtown Toronto early Tuesday, describing the attack as a “national security incident” and prompting heightened protection for US and Israeli diplomatic buildings in the city.
Police said two men approached the consulate at around 4:30 a.m. local time, exited a white SUV, and fired multiple rounds from a handgun. Toronto Police Deputy Chief Frank Barredo confirmed that there were people inside the consulate at the time, but the building’s high security meant there were no injuries.
Chief Superintendent Chris Leather of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police called the shooting a “definite national security incident,” though he said it remains under investigation whether it was a terrorist act.
Security protocols are being strengthened not only at the US consulate but also at Israeli diplomatic buildings in Toronto and Ottawa, Leather added.
The shooting comes amid recent protests outside the consulate denouncing the Middle East conflict triggered by US and Israeli strikes on Iran. In addition, three Toronto-area synagogues have also been hit by gunfire in recent days, although no injuries were reported. Police say it is too early to confirm a connection between the incidents but are investigating them collectively.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is working closely with the US Federal Bureau of Investigation and Canada’s Canadian Security Intelligence Service as the investigation continues. The US consulate is located on Toronto’s University Avenue, a major thoroughfare that runs past hospitals and the provincial legislature.