|
The US Consulate in downtown Toronto was targeted by gunfire Monday for the second time this year, prompting a high-speed police pursuit of a fleeing white sedan.
According to CBC News. officer on regular patrol near the consulate, stationed there following a previous shooting at the location on March 10, heard gunshots in the area around 4:45 a.m., CBC News reported. According to CBC News, Toronto Police Deputy Chief Frank Barredo said the officer immediately saw a white Honda Accord without license plates speed away from the location. Officers briefly pursued the vehicle along the Don Valley Parkway near Don Mills Road, but called off the chase due to safety risks after the vehicle reached speeds exceeding 140 km/h. Aerial support was unavailable during the pursuit. Addressing the incident, Deputy Chief Barredo said, "We will approach this situation with great seriousness," describing the shooting as "brazen" and "despicable." Police recovered a single shell casing near the consulate and noted damage to the building's facade, CBC News reported. No injuries were reported in connection with the incident. A spokesperson for the US embassy thanked Toronto police for their rapid response in an email statement, CBC News reported. Investigations into the motive and the number of occupants in the vehicle remain ongoing. Toronto Police spokesperson Stephanie Sayer noted that the department currently relies on helicopters from the Ontario Provincial Police or Durham Regional Police Service, but is scheduled to receive its own aircraft later this year. Speaking to reporters on Monday, Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow said she spoke with Canada's Minister of Public Safety Gary Anandasangaree regarding measures to prevent gun violence and the influx of illegal firearms into the city. Mayor Chow characterised the shooting as a "brazen attack." "This is when there is a police cruiser with the lights flashing right in front of it," Chow said. "I want to say to the person or persons responsible: We will get you." The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) is collaborating on the investigation alongside Toronto police and international partners, according to CBC News. "Threats and violence towards any persons in Canada are taken very seriously," said RCMP Superintendent Jonathan Ko. The incident marks the second shooting at the downtown location in just over four months, following a similar event on March 10 that resulted in no injuries, CBC News reported. While the March incident was labelled a "national security incident" by the RCMP, three individuals were subsequently arrested as part of a wider investigation into local gun crimes involving hired youth. Although University Avenue was temporarily cordoned off while over a dozen police vehicles remained on site, Toronto Police spokesperson Ashley Visser confirmed to CBC News Monday evening that the scene has been cleared and the road has reopened. (ANI)
|
