Shooting at the US Consulate in Toronto; Canadian police search for a suspected vehicle
Washington, July 27 (KUNA) -- The Canadian police announced that the U.S. Consulate in downtown Toronto was shot at on Monday, marking the second such incident this year, and revealed that they are searching for a vehicle suspected of involvement in the attack. Toronto police told journalists at the scene that officers heard gunshots in the vicinity of the building and found evidence indicating that shots were fired outside the U.S. Consulate.
Police Deputy Chief Frank Barredo said a white vehicle without license plates was seen fleeing the scene, noting that police "pursued it briefly before ceasing the chase due to safety concerns given the high speed at which the vehicle was traveling." He added that police "were unable to determine the number of people inside the vehicle" and emphasized that it was "too early to determine the motive behind the incident," referring to the lack of conclusive information as to whether the U.S. Consulate was the target of the shooting. Barredo stated, "We will treat this situation with the utmost seriousness and bring those responsible to justice."
Police reported that a single bullet casing was found near the U.S. Consulate and that the building sustained damage. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) quoted a spokesperson for the U.S. Embassy, who wished to remain anonymous, as stating that "at least one bullet struck the building," which had previously been shot at on March 10. The spokesperson confirmed at the same time that no injuries were reported at the Consulate.
On his part, Ontario Premier Doug Ford condemned today’s incident, as well as similar security incidents whose frequency has increased recently. Ford said in a post on the social media platform X, "I am deeply disgusted by the shootings and acts of vandalism that Toronto has experienced in recent days, and I expect that all those responsible will be found, prosecuted, and punished to the fullest extent of the law."
This incident comes slightly more than four months after the building was shot at in an earlier attack that did not result in injuries, though Canadian police then described it as a "national security incident." Several individuals linked to that incident were subsequently arrested as part of a broader investigation into shootings in the city, where police believe that young men were hired to commit crimes using firearms. (End) R.S.R. / M.A.A.
