‘Guns for hire’: 15-year-old among 2 arrested in U.S. Consulate shooting in Toronto

Toronto police say two suspects, including a 15-year-old boy, have been arrested in connection to a shooting outside the United States Consulate last month.

The incident occurred just before 5 a.m. on July 27, when Toronto police responded to reports of shots fired outside the U.S. Consulate on University Avenue.

Police say evidence of a firearm discharge was found outside the U.S. Consulate. No injuries were reported. Two security personnel were also inside the building at the time of the shooting.

Investigators say a white Honda Accord with no licence plates was seen fleeing the area immediately after the shot was fired. Officers located the vehicle and began a police pursuit starting along Gerrard Street and onto the Don Valley Parkway.

Due to the suspect’s vehicle travelling over 140 km/hr and the danger associated with that speed, the pursuit was called off around the DVP and Don Mills. The stolen vehicle was later found abandoned in Scarborough.

On Thursday, Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw said 19-year-old Xen-Ul-Abdeen Syed was arrested on Aug. 1, and a 15-year-old male was taken into custody on Wednesday in relation to the shooting. Both individuals face a combined 22 criminal offences, including failing to comply with a release order.

“They continue to pose a significant risk to public safety. We also believe that the modus operandi in this investigation is consistent with what we saw in the previous U.S. Consulate shooting, which is criminals for hire,” Demkiw said.

The late-July firearm discharge follows another shooting from March 10, when two suspects fired multiple rounds at the consulate’s front entrance before fleeing in a stolen Honda CR‑V. That case triggered a major national‑security investigation involving Toronto police, the RCMP, and INSET.

One suspect was later arrested, while another remained wanted until police announced additional arrests in June. Police later charged a 19‑year‑old in connection with the March shooting after locating him at Toronto Pearson Airport. The investigation has since expanded to include multiple suspects and alleged connections to coordinated shootings across the GTA.

Suspects linked to earlier July vehicle fire in Caledon

Demkiw and investigators have noted that those involved in both shootings at the U.S. Consulate were “criminals for hire” tasked with carrying out the crimes through “encrypted messaging apps.”

“There has been significant public interest and speculation about who is behind these crimes. That remains a focus of our investigation,” the police chief said on Thursday. “What we know is that criminals are exploiting encrypted technology to recruit young people and coordinate serious criminal acts.”

During Thursday’s press conference, Demkiw and Chief Superintendent of Detective Operations, Joe Matthews, said the 19-year-old and 15-year-old accused linked to the July 27 U.S. Consulate shooting were also connected to a police investigation in Scarborough on July 24.

It’s alleged the pair stopped at a gas station in a stolen vehicle to fill a jerry can with gasoline and travelled to a residence in Caledon, poured the gasoline on a vehicle in the driveway, and set it on fire. They then fled the scene. No injuries were reported.

“We need meaningful deterrence, we need the tools to investigate those orchestrating these crimes, and we need the justice system to keep pace with the evolving threats to public safety,” said Demkiw.

The 15-year-old male was not identified by means of the Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA). He was scheduled to appear in court on Thursday. The 19-year-old Syed made a court appearance on Aug. 2.