Toronto police have arrested two teenagers in connection with a shooting at the U.S. consulate in Toronto on July 27, marking the second such incident at the diplomatic mission in five months. The suspects—a 19-year-old man identified as Xen-Ul-Abdeen Syed and a 15-year-old boy whose name is protected under Canadian law—face multiple charges related to the shooting and alleged involvement in a broader gun-for-hire network.

The latest attack occurred before dawn when a stolen white Honda Accord, reportedly without license plates, pulled alongside the consulate at approximately 4:46 a.m. Police said one bullet struck the front of the building, damaging the facade, while surveillance footage showed at least two shots fired from the vehicle. No injuries were reported in either the July or March shootings. Despite a police cruiser stationed nearby, the vehicle fled at high speed, reaching over 140 kilometers per hour in a brief pursuit that was discontinued due to safety concerns. The car was later found abandoned in the Scarborough area.

Authorities allege that Syed and the youth had been recruited through encrypted messaging applications, such as WhatsApp, Telegram, or Signal, and were offered payment to carry out the attack. Police described the gun-for-hire network as a loosely affiliated group targeting various buildings and businesses in exchange for money. Chief Superintendent Joe Matthews noted that some individuals involved in these networks do not actually receive payment for their actions.

Both suspects face numerous charges, including several firearm-related offenses, arson, stolen-property charges, and specific provisions under the Criminal Code related to attacks on premises of internationally protected persons—a designation connected with foreign diplomats whom Canada is obliged to safeguard. Syed had previously been charged in May for violating a release order and possessing cocaine.

The shootings are part of a broader investigative focus on gun-for-hire networks in Toronto, which authorities have linked to multiple violent incidents, including other shootings and arson, some targeting synagogues and local businesses. Police point to similarities in the modus operandi in these cases, involving stolen vehicles, early morning attacks, and encrypted communication channels. In June, two other men were arrested and charged for the March shooting at the U.S. consulate, facing a range of offenses including firearms violations and vehicle theft; those allegations remain unproven in court.

Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw emphasized that a key challenge remains identifying the individuals and groups behind these networks who recruit and finance such attacks. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) are conducting a parallel investigation treating the incidents as national security matters.

The U.S. consulate expressed appreciation for the cooperation between U.S. and Canadian law enforcement in apprehending the suspects. Efforts to secure the diplomatic mission have continued since the first shooting, with police maintaining a visible presence around the building.

U.S. prosecutors have previously linked the March shooting to Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi, an Iraqi national alleged to have ties to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, who was arrested in Turkey and remains in U.S. custody. Police declined to comment on any connection between Al-Saadi and the recent arrests.

Two days prior to the July consulate shooting, a Jewish-owned bakery in Toronto was also targeted in a shooting. While police have not established any direct links between that incident and the accused in the consulate shootings, the similarities in tactics have prompted ongoing investigation.

The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs has noted that these incidents reflect a troubling trend of international terrorism intersecting with local criminal activity, calling for authorities to fully identify and prosecute those responsible for directing and financing such attacks.