Teen accused, repeat offender charged after gunfire at U.S. Consulate in Toronto

Two people, including a 15-year-old already facing multiple alleged release order breaches, have been charged after gunfire was fired at the United States Consulate in downtown Toronto in what police are treating as a national security incident.

Toronto Police announced Thursday that investigators have arrested a 19-year-old man and a youth in connection with the July 27 shooting outside the U.S. Consulate at 360 University Avenue.

According to police, an officer guarding the consulate heard what appeared to be a gunshot at approximately 4:46 a.m. and saw a white Honda Accord speeding away. Officers pursued the vehicle through downtown Toronto before calling off the chase near Don Mills Road over public safety concerns.

Investigators later found evidence of gunfire and damage to the stone façade above the consulate’s front entrance. Security personnel were inside the building at the time, but no injuries were reported. The stolen getaway vehicle was later recovered abandoned in Scarborough.

Police allege the same suspects were also involved in an arson attack days earlier. On July 24, investigators say they filled a red jerry can with gasoline at a Scarborough gas station before driving to a residential property in Caledon, where they allegedly doused a vehicle with gasoline and set it ablaze. No one was injured.

Because of the potential implications of the attack on a diplomatic facility, the Toronto Police Integrated Gun and Gang Task Force led the investigation with ***istance from the Counter-Terrorism Security Unit. The RCMP and the Integrated National Security Enforcement Team (INSET) also launched a parallel national security investigation.

Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw said investigators believe the offences were committed by criminals-for-hire directed through encrypted messaging applications.

Demkiw also used the case to highlight what he described as Canada’s revolving-door justice system, noting that both accused allegedly committed the offences while under court-ordered release conditions.

Nineteen-year-old Xen-Ul-Abdeen Syed faces a lengthy list of charges, including attacking the premises of internationally protected persons, discharging a prohibited or restricted firearm at a place, possessing a loaded prohibited firearm, arson causing property damage, dangerous driving, flight from police, and four counts of failing to comply with court-ordered conditions.

The 15-year-old youth, whose identity is protected under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, faces similar charges along with six counts of allegedly breaching release orders.

The investigation remains ongoing, and police are asking anyone with information to contact investigators or Crime Stoppers anonymously.