Police link shooting at U.S consulate in Toronto to 'criminals for hire' network involving teens recruited via encrypted apps
Police say a shooting at the U.S. consulate in Toronto is part of a wider pattern of coordinated attacks involving teenagers allegedly recruited online to carry out gun violence and record it for payment. Authorities believe the consulate shooting, along with several other incidents across the city, are connected through what they describe as a “criminals for hire” network operating through encrypted messaging apps.
Toronto police Chief Myron Demkiw said investigators are examining multiple shootings from March that targeted the consulate, a residential building, and a business, as well as other related incidents. He said young suspects were allegedly paid to conduct the attacks and required to film them as proof. “Through encrypted messaging apps, young people are hired to carry out attacks against various targets,” he said, adding that investigators are still working to identify those financing the activity and attempting to determine their broader motives.
On March 10, police allege two suspects fired multiple shots at the U.S. consulate before fleeing in a stolen vehicle. The building was damaged, but no injuries were reported. Surveillance video reportedly shows the suspects firing weapons and recording the incident on a phone before abandoning the vehicle.
One of the suspects, 18-year-old Sheldon Tracey-Stewart, was arrested in June and faces multiple firearm-related charges. Another suspect, 19-year-old Zara Jabbi, remains wanted, with a warrant issued for his arrest.
Investigators have also linked a third teenager to additional shootings, including an attack on an apartment unit and a nearby business later in March. Police say that suspect is also connected to the fatal shooting of a Toronto officer during the execution of a search warrant tied to the broader investigation.
A 19-year-old identified as Nicholas Bennett was arrested in June and charged in connection with the business shooting, with additional charges expected in the apartment incident. He is also expected to face a first-degree murder charge in connection with the death of Constable Marc Pinizzotto, who was killed during the same June operation in which Bennett was injured and taken into custody while hospitalized.
Another 18-year-old, Jayon Burgher, has been charged in connection with a separate business shooting and previously faced charges in an unrelated case involving a residential shooting in Oakville.
Police say two firearms recovered during the investigation are now being analyzed to determine whether they are tied to other shootings across the Greater Toronto Area. Preliminary ballistic testing has already linked the weapons to multiple incidents, and investigators believe additional connections may emerge.
Authorities say the probe now spans at least six incidents linked to one firearm type and more than 20 linked to another, with further arrests and charges possible as the investigation continues.
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