CIJA Responds to Toronto Police Arrests in U.S. Consulate Shooting Investigation

August 6, 2026 – Ottawa, ON – We are grateful to Toronto Police for their investigative work and arresting two individuals in connection with the most recent shooting of the U.S. Consulate in July. Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw confirmed that the common modus operandi in the previous U.S. Consulate shooting is the same in this case: "criminals for hire."

Chief Demkiw asks the right question: who is behind these crimes? The individuals and entities that recruit, direct, and finance these attacks must be identified and brought to justice.

This announcement comes within the broader context of Canada’s Integrated Threat Assessment Centre warning of a “realistic possibility” that Iran’s Islamic regime is directing local criminal elements to target Canadians. As well, the federal government's Secretary of State for Combatting Crime acknowledging a "foreign entity" is behind recent attacks against synagogues in Toronto.

This case must be considered within a growing and dangerous trend of a convergence between international terrorism and local criminal elements.

It underscores the urgent need for tougher bail rules for repeat violent offenders, stronger measures to prevent the recruitment of youth into organized crime, and providing security services and police with the tools they need to address these emerging threats to Canadians.

-30-