Someone fired shots at the U.S. Consulate in Toronto early Tuesday, police said, the latest instance of a U.S. mission facing a security threat in recent days.
Witnesses saw a white Honda CRV stop in front of the consulate building around 4:30 a.m., Toronto Police Deputy Chief Frank Barredo said.
“There, two individuals emerged from the vehicle, discharged what appears to be a handgun at the front of the building, got back into their vehicle” and drove off, Barredo said, adding that it appeared multiple shots were fired.
Barredo said people were likely inside the building at the time, but no injuries have been reported. Surrounding streets were closed as police investigated.
The consulate in Toronto and the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa heightened security in response. A U.S. State Department spokesperson told MS NOW that the agency “is aware of the incident and is closely monitoring the situation in coordination with local law enforcement.”
Investigators asked members of the public with information, such as dashcam footage, to contact authorities.
Since the U.S.-Israel war with Iran began on Feb. 28, U.S. embassies and consulates around the world, particularly in Gulf countries caught in the crossfire, have been on high alert. The U.S. ordered the departure of nonemergency government personnel and families from missions in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Iraq and Oman. Suspected Iranian drones struck the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and the U.S. Consulate in Dubai last week.
The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad was also targeted in a rocket attack Saturday.
And an explosion at the U.S. Embassy in Oslo on Sunday may be related to the “current security situation,” Norway’s police force said.
Erum Salam is a breaking news reporter for MS NOW, with a focus on how global events and foreign policy shape U.S. politics. She previously was a breaking news reporter for The Guardian.