Toronto officer killed in raid tied to Iran-linked US consulate and synagogue shooting probe

Police Constable Marc Pinizzotto was shot during the operation, and despite the efforts of medical services, the Emergency Task Force officer died at Sunnybrook hospital.

One suspect related to the death of the 18-year TPS veteran was in the hospital, but an outstanding suspect, 19-year-old Zara Jabbi was still on the run. Police Chief Myron Demkiw said in a press briefing that Jabbi should be considered armed and dangerous, but wouldn't detail if Jabbi was the person who fatally shot 43-year-old Pinizzotto.

TPS remained taciturn regarding the warrant, but Demkiw said that they were regarding a number of shootings, including one against the US consulate. TPS confirmed that this was the March 10 shooting. The warrant in which Pinizzotto fell in the line of duty was one of several warrants executed that morning.

According to allegations made in the criminal complaint against Kataib Hezbollah senior official Mohammad Bagher Saad Dawood al-Saadi, the Iranian proxy commander had orchestrated the March 10 Consulate shooting and an attack on a synagogue in Toronto.

In the complaint, Saadi, working on behalf of the Islamic Regime proxy, told an undercover law enforcement officer that his "people" were behind the two attacks in Canada.

Al-Saadi was allegedly behind 20 different attacks and plots in North America and Europe, many of them under the banner of Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia (HAYI), which was allegedly a front for Kataib Hezbollah, itself widely regarded as a proxy of the Iranian regime and the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps.

No injuries were caused by the early morning US consulate shooting, the Toronto Police Service said at the time, but damage was caused to the building.

March saw three different shooting attacks on Toronto area synagogues. On March 2, after Purim celebrations ended, there was a shooting at the Temple Emanu-El synagogue, leaving multiple bullet holes in the synagogue’s front windows.

On March 6, shots were fired at the Beth Avraham Yoseph of Toronto (the BAYT), and on March 7 at the Shaarei Shomayim synagogue.

Canada and 21 other states condemned and demanded an end to Iranian regime attacks against Jewish, Israeli, and Iranian dissident targets within their territories in a joint statement on Wednesday. The countries also condemned the operations conducted in the name of HAYI.

A procession escorting Pinizotto from the hospital was set for Thursday.

The Consulate General of Israel in Toronto offered its condolences to Pinizzotto's family and colleagues.

"Constable Pinizzotto made the ultimate sacrifice in service to the people of Toronto and the safety of the communities he was sworn to protect," consul general Idit Shamir said on X. "The men and women of law enforcement who confront violence and danger on behalf of the public deserve our respect, gratitude, and support."

The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs said on X that words could not "express the devastation being felt today."

"This is a heartbreaking reminder that police officers put their lives on the line every single day to keep our communities safe," said CIJA.

Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow said he knew the officer's mother, and that the family was in her thoughts.

"Their grief is shared across this entire city," Chow said at a press briefing. "Police officers go to work every day knowing the risk, putting themselves in harm's way to protect others."

Demkiw said that the loss was profoundly impactful on the police service,

“No words can capture the impact on Marc’s family, who expected him to come home today," said Demkiw. "We as a Service will support them and each other. It goes without saying that this is devastating news for his colleagues at the ETF Unit, many of whom have been here throughout the morning. We are doing everything we can to support them at this difficult time.”