Hate Crime & Legal Update: New Details Emerge in U.S. Consulate Shooting Investigation
- Rochelle Direnfeld
- Jun 17
- 7 min read
In a press conference on Tuesday, June 16, Toronto Police Service Chief Myron Demkiw and Chief Superintendent Joe Matthews provided media and the public with an update regarding several shootings in the Greater Toronto Area, including the March 10, 2026, shooting of the U.S. Consulate.
Chief Demkiw confirmed that a “gun-for-hire network” is behind these shootings, where “bad actors are using criminal elements in our city to carry out these dangerous incidents and it is clear that some of the people hiring these criminals wanted to create a sense of fear in our communities, including in the Jewish community.” He also noted that such networks often recruit young persons to carry out attacks. The investigations involve at least six shootings in the GTA linked to a nine-millimetre handgun and at least 21 shootings linked to a 45-calibre handgun. Police recovered both handguns, traced originally to the United States, in search warrants conducted last week.
Police have made three arrests and seized the two firearms in connection with these investigations, including the one related to the U.S. Consulate. One suspect will be charged with first degree murder in the homicide of Constable Marc Pinizzotto. Another suspect remains outstanding for the shooting event at the U.S. Consulate.
“What we are dealing with in this case and in other unrelated incidents including shootings at synagogues and Jewish schools, is a recurring and similar modus operandi, and that is criminals for hire,” Demkiw said. He also confirmed that young persons are contacted through encrypted messaging applications and are told to record their attacks in order to be paid.
Chief Superintendent Joe Matthews said, “Multiple people are recruiting multiple youth in each cell. We just do not know the scope of it.”
“This is a complex, coordinated investigation involving multiple law enforcement partners and spanning numerous violent incidents across the Greater Toronto Area,” said Chief Myron Demkiw. “It also underscores the very real risks our officers face every day while working to protect our communities from dangerous and violent offenders. We lost one of our own during this operation, and Constable Marc Pinizzotto’s service and sacrifice will never be forgotten. We remain focused on holding those responsible accountable and on continuing the work needed to prevent further violence in our city.”
Chief Demkiw also urged the federal government to quickly pass both bills C-16, the “Protecting Victims Act” and C-22, “An Act Respecting Lawful Access” as further tools to assist law enforcement in advancing investigations like these. Bill C-16, if passed, would create a new, stand-alone offence of “recruitment of youth to commit offences”; an offence that would criminalize not only the recruitment of young persons to commit criminal offences, but also the counselling of a young person to commit criminal offences. Bill C-22 would, if passed, enable greater access by law enforcement to information held by internet service providers.
The following is a synopsis of the shootings and arrests made thus far:
On April 15, 2026, Jayon Burgher, 18, of Barrie, was arrested by Halton Regional Police Service in relation to a shooting targeting a residence in Oakville on March 29, 2026. While in custody, he was charged by the Toronto Police Service in relation to a shooting event on March 26, 2026, targeting a business in the Islington Avenue and Lake Shore Boulevard West area.
The allegations are that on Thursday, March 26, 2026, at approximately 3:30 a.m., officers responded to reports of gunshots in the area of Islington Avenue and Lake Shore Boulevard West. Shots were fired at a business, causing damage to the storefront. No one was inside the business at the time and no injuries were reported. A dark-coloured sedan fled the area immediately following the shooting.
Responding officers observed a dark Honda Civic travelling at a high rate of speed and initiated a pursuit. The vehicle subsequently collided with a fence at a residence near Royal York Road and North Drive. Two suspects fled the vehicle (Jayon Burgher and Nicholas Bennett). It is believed that a neighbouring business was the intended target.
Burgher is charged with the following:
Discharge a Restricted Firearm or a Prohibited Firearm into or at a Place
Unauthorized Possession of a Firearm in a Motor Vehicle
Possession of a Loaded Prohibited or Restricted Firearm
Possession of a Firearm knowing its Possession is Unauthorized
Possession of a Firearm or Ammunition contrary to Prohibition Order
Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Over $5000
Flight while being Pursued by Peace Officer
On June 11, 2026, five search warrants were executed in Toronto by the Toronto Police Service with the support of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Two suspects, Sheldon Tracey-Stewart, 18, and Nicholas Bennett, 19, were arrested at two separate locations in the Black Creek Drive and Trethewey Drive area.
Sheldon Tracey-Stewart, 18, of Toronto, was arrested and charged in relation to the shooting at the U.S. Consulate on March 10, 2026. During the search, a loaded handgun was seized by police.
The allegations are that on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, at approximately 5:29 a.m., police responded to a call at the U.S. Consulate located at 360 University Avenue. A white Honda CR-V was travelling westbound on Dundas Street West, turned southbound onto University Avenue, and stopped in front of the Consulate. Two male suspects exited the vehicle and fired multiple rounds at the building (Sheldon Tracey-Stewart and Zara Jabbi).
The suspects then re-entered the vehicle and drove southbound on University Avenue. Responding officers located evidence consistent with a firearm discharge, including damage to the glass and doors of the building, as well as shell casings at the scene. People were inside the building at the time, but no injuries were reported. Surveillance video later showed the suspects discharging firearms at the building and recording video of the incident on their phones. The vehicle, which had been stolen shortly before the incident, was later located abandoned in Scarborough.
The Integrated Gun and Gang Task Force took carriage of the investigation, with support from the Counter Terrorism Security Unit. The RCMP and the Integrated National Security Enforcement Team (INSET) also commenced a parallel investigation, treating the incident as a national security matter.
Tracey-Stewart is charged with the following:
Theft of Motor Vehicle
Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Over $5000
Discharge a Restricted or a Prohibited Firearm at a Place
Attack on Premises of Internationally Protected Persons
two counts of Possess of a Firearm Knowing its Possession is Unauthorized
two counts of Possession of a Loaded Prohibited or Restricted Firearm
two counts of Fail to Comply with Release Order
Possess a Firearm Knowing Serial Number Has Been Tampered With
During the execution of one of the search warrants in the Black Creek Drive and Trethewey Drive area, it is alleged that Nicholas Bennett, 19, of Toronto, shot and killed Toronto Police Service Constable Marc Pinizzotto. Officers returned fire and Bennett was transported to hospital with life-threatening injuries. A handgun was seized by police. He is expected to be charged with First Degree Murder.
Bennett is also expected to be charged in relation to a shooting that occurred on March 25, 2026, in the area of Markham Road and Eglinton Avenue East targeting a high-rise unit.
The allegations are that on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, at approximately 3:45 a.m., officers responded to reports of gunshots in the area of Markham Road and Eglinton Avenue East. Shots were fired at a front door of a residential apartment high-rise unit, where someone was inside, but no injuries were reported. A black Honda CR-V fled the area immediately following the shooting.
Through investigation, officers from the Integrated Gun and Gang Task Force identified the suspects involved.
Bennett is charged with the following:
Occupy Motor Vehicle with Firearm, ETC.
Have Face Masked/Disguised, ETC.
Discharge Firearm into a Place /Reckless to Others
Possess Firearm without Holding a Licence
Possess Firearm other than Restricted or Prohibited Firearm Knowingly Not Holding a Licence
Possess Loaded Regulated Firearm
Breach of Probation
He is also expected to be charged in relation to the shooting that occurred on March 26, 2026, in the area of Islington Avenue and Lake Shore Boulevard West targeting a business (referred to above).
He will be charged with the following in relation to that shooting:
Discharge a Restricted Firearm or a Prohibited Firearm into or at a Place
Unauthorized Possession of a Firearm in a Motor Vehicle
Possession of a Loaded Prohibited or Restricted Firearm
Possession of a Firearm knowing its Possession is Unauthorized
Possession of a Firearm or Ammunition contrary to Prohibition Order
Possession of Property Obtained by Crime over $5000
Breach of Probation
Investigators are awaiting results of forensic ballistics currently being performed on a firearm seized during the search warrants to determine additional linkages.
Toronto Police are still seeking Zara Jabbi, 19, who is wanted in connection with the shooting at the U.S. Consulate. A warrant has been issued for his arrest. An image of the suspect has been released.
Zara Jabbi was a youth at the time this photograph was taken. A court has authorized the Toronto Police Service to publish his identity for a period of five days to assist investigators in locating him. That authorization expires on Friday, June 19, 2026.
We will continue to follow and report on these cases.
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About the Author
Rochelle Direnfeld is ALCCA’s Senior Criminal Counsel. She was called to the Ontario bar in 1990 and has served in the Ontario Public Service for over 32 years as an assistant crown attorney, deputy crown attorney, crown counsel, and finally as Deputy Director for Toronto Crown Attorneys in the Criminal Law Division of the Ministry of the Attorney General. Rochelle retired from public service at the end of 2023. During her career, she prosecuted a wide variety of Criminal Code cases in the Ontario Court of Justice, Superior Court of Justice, and the Ontario Court of Appeal.
Rochelle is also the Chair of the Canadian Criminal Law Working Group, a national initiative bringing together leading criminal lawyers to strengthen the legal response to antisemitic hate crimes and support victims across Canada.
She has also been selected to join the Toronto Police Service Board’s Jewish Community Advisory Table, an initiative aimed at strengthening dialogue and collaboration between the Jewish community and the Toronto Police Service on issues of community safety and policing.