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“What kind of city have we become,” asked Toronto councillor James Pasternak. “Paid shooters roaming through our streets to spread terror.  We will support and wish for the safety of all the diplomats and their staff while living in Toronto.”

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Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow, who attended Monday’s press conference, promised those responsible “will be held accountable.”

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The integrated gun and gang task force is leading the investigation, with support from the counterterrorism and security unit.

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Anyone in the vicinity of College and Queen Street between 4:30 a.m. and 5 a.m. who may have witnessed something, noticed something unusual or has any dash cam or security footage is asked to contact the task force.

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A bullet hole is seen at the main entrance of the U.S. Consulate General in Toronto. Photo by Cole Burston/Postmedia

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“I can assure Torontonians that the Toronto Police Service and our partners, federal, provincial and otherwise, are very much actively working to not only deter, but apprehend people involved in this,” he said.

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“We have made arrests in practically all of the other shootings, at great cost to the Toronto Police Service in one instance.”

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That includes the apprehension of Sheldon Tracey-Stewart, 18, Zara Jabbi, 19, and Nicholas Bennett, 19, who are accused in the March 10 shooting at the U.S. Consulate General, an attack described as a “national security incident.”

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All three face multiple firearms charges, but Bennett is also charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of Toronto police officer Constable Marc Pinizzotto, 43, who was shot and killed during the man’s arrest in June.

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“Police allege young people are being recruited through encrypted messaging applications to carry out attacks and are required to record the incidents as proof to receive payment,” police said last month. 

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Police said ballistics from seized handguns — including the one used in Pinizzotto’s death — are linked to 27 shootings in the city. Other targets included GFL Environmental Inc. facilities and the home of at least one of the company’s executives.

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According to an unsealed criminal complaint in the U.S., prosecutors there suspect the attacks were carried out at the behest of Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi, a commander of an Iraqi militia with ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), an Iranian military body.

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Canadian law enforcement, however, has been remiss in commenting on the matter.

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Toronto Police Deputy Chief Frank Barredo, left, speaks to media during a press conference outside the U.S. consulate on Monday. Standing back on at his left is Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow. Photo by Cole Burston/Postmedia

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After the latest consulate attack, Avi Benlolo, founding chairman and CEO of The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI), surmised that “Toronto is under attack.”

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“This is a national emergency, and our political leaders must respond immediately and decisively,” he wrote on X.

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A similar call came from Republican Florida Senator Rick Scott, who said “Canada has a serious antisemitism problem the government needs to get serious about.”

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“Everyone needs to wake up. Attacks like this are the canary in the coal mine,” he shared on X. “The attackers are coming after our Judeo-Christian values. We need to act like it.”

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The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs said the “warning signs are becoming impossible to ignore” and called on Canada to “get tough on terror.”

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“Hold accountable those perpetrating and directing these attacks. And ensure law enforcement and security agencies have the tools they need to protect Canadians,” it shared on X.

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