ALBAWABA- Canadian authorities are investigating a shooting at the United States Consulate in downtown Toronto as a national security incident after gunmen opened fire on the diplomatic mission in a targeted attack.
The shooting is the second to target the US Consulate in Toronto in recent months. In March, unidentified assailants fired multiple rounds at the diplomatic mission before dawn, damaging the building but causing no injuries. The attack came days after protests over the conflict in the Middle East outside the consulate, prompting Toronto Police to launch an investigation into the targeted incident.
Police recovered spent shell casings at the scene and confirmed that the consulate sustained damage. Authorities described the incident as a deliberate and targeted attack, while the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) joined the investigation to help identify and locate the suspects.
Investigators have not announced a definitive motive and say there is currently no evidence linking the shooting to terrorism or foreign state actors. Instead, authorities are examining whether the attack is connected to a broader pattern of organized criminal violence in the Greater Toronto Area, where so-called "criminals for hire" are allegedly recruited to carry out and film shootings targeting high-profile and symbolic locations.
The shooting comes at a time of heightened political tensions between the United States and Canada during President Donald Trump's current administration. Recent disputes over trade, border policies, and proposed tariffs on Canadian imports have strained bilateral relations and intensified political rhetoric between Washington and Ottawa.
Canadian officials strongly condemned the attack and reaffirmed their commitment to protecting diplomatic missions, while security has been increased around US and Israeli diplomatic facilities in Toronto as a precaution.
