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Two men fired multiple shots at the US consulate in Toronto early on Tuesday in what police described as a “national security incident”, prompting beefed-up protection for US and Israeli diplomatic buildings in the city.
The individuals approached the consulate in downtown Toronto at around 4.30am ET, exited a white SUV and fired several rounds from a handgun at the consulate, Toronto police deputy chief Frank Barredo told reporters.
There were people inside at the time, but “this building is highly secure, highly fortified, and there were no injuries,” Barredo said.
Chris Leather, chief superintendent of Canada’s federal police, said the shooting was “definitely a national security incident because we had the US consulate ... struck by gunfire”.
“Whether it’s a terrorist [event], that will be subject to the investigation,” said Leather, of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
Leather also told reporters that security protocols are being enhanced at US and Israeli diplomatic buildings in Toronto and in the Canadian capital Ottawa.
“I think it’s fairly obvious based on the incidents in Toronto and elsewhere that these consulates deserve a heightened amount of vigilance and security at this time,” Leather said.
There were protests outside the consulate last weekend to denounce the war in the Middle East triggered by US and Israeli strikes on Iran.
Three Toronto-area synagogues have also been hit by gunfire in recent days, but no injuries have been reported.
Asked about a possible link between the synagogue shootings and gunfire at the US consulate, Barredo said it was “too early” to establish a link.
But, he added, “we do not look at (the incidents) in isolation. We look at them collectively.”
Leather said the Royal Canadian Mounted Police was working with the US Federal Bureau of Investigation on the consulate shooting, as well as the Canadian Security Intelligence Service.
Doug Ford, the Ontario premier, described the incident as “an absolutely unacceptable act of violence and intimidation aimed at our American friends and neighbors”.
He said: “Everyone at all levels of government and across Canada needs to make clear that there is zero tolerance for this sort of intimidating and dangerous behavior.”
In a statement, the state department said it was aware of the incident and was closely monitoring the situation in coordination with local law enforcement.
The incident follows the explosion of an improvised device at the US embassy in Oslo on Sunday. Norwegian police were still searching for a suspect, with a possible link to the Iran war among the lines of inquiry.
