Toronto (Somalia Today) – Gunfire hit the US consulate in downtown Toronto before dawn on Tuesday, causing damage but no injuries in an attack Canadian officials condemned as a serious act of intimidation.
Toronto police said officers responded at 5:29 am to the area of University Avenue and Queen Street West.
Investigators found shell casings and damage to the consulate’s glass and front door.
In an updated account, police said a white Honda CR-V pulled up outside the diplomatic mission.
Two men got out, fired multiple rounds at the building, and fled south on University Avenue.
People were inside the building at the time, but no one was injured.
Authorities have not announced any arrests and said they have not yet identified a motive.
‘Unacceptable’ attack
Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree called the shooting “absolutely unacceptable.”
Ontario Premier Doug Ford said the attack targeted “our American friends and neighbours,” and vowed to find and prosecute those responsible.
A US State Department spokesperson said Washington was aware of the incident and was closely coordinating with local law enforcement.
The shooting triggered a visible security response in Canada’s largest city.
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow said police had deployed heavily around both the US and Israeli consulates.
Local media reported road closures in the downtown core as investigators examined the scene.
Chow said the attack came after recent shootings at synagogues in the Toronto area, and insisted such violence could not be allowed to stand.
Tuesday’s attack followed a week of mounting anxiety in Toronto’s Jewish community.
Prime Minister Mark Carney on Saturday condemned what he called “criminal antisemitic attacks” after gunfire hit two synagogues overnight.
The targeted sites were Beth Avraham Yoseph in Thornhill and Shaarei Shomayim in North York.
The incidents came just days after an earlier shooting at Temple Emanu-El, also in North York.
No one was hurt in any of those incidents.
Police have not said whether the synagogue attacks and the consulate shooting are connected.
The attacks have unfolded against the backdrop of intensifying international tensions over the war involving the United States, Israel, and Iran.
Rival demonstrations have gathered outside the US consulate in Toronto in recent days.
Authorities have acknowledged growing concerns that events in the Middle East could fuel unrest at home.
The incident also followed an explosion that damaged an entrance to the US embassy in Oslo over the weekend.
Investigators have not announced any link between the European incident and the Toronto shooting.
Rise in hate crimes
Toronto police have already warned of a sharp rise in antisemitic incidents.
Speaking after the March 2 shooting at Temple Emanu-El, Deputy Chief Rob Johnson detailed the surge in hate-crime investigations since October 7, 2023.
He said police had made 309 arrests and laid 858 charges during that period.
Johnson said 22 antisemitic occurrences reported so far this year accounted for roughly 63 percent of all hate crimes recorded in the city.
He added that police had increased patrols in Jewish neighbourhoods and around places of worship.
Police visibly expanded security again after military action involving Iran began over the weekend.
Investigators on Tuesday appealed for witnesses and dashcam footage from the area between Queen Street West and College Street.
They are focusing on the period from 4:00 am to 5:30 am and reviewing surveillance footage to identify the suspects.
While the motive remains unknown, the attack has deepened concerns about spillover violence in a city already on edge after days of shootings targeting religious and diplomatic sites.
