Toronto Police Officer Killed During Raid Linked to U.S. Consulate Shooting Investigation

Toronto police Constable Marc Pinizzotto was killed during a tactical raid connected to an investigation into the earlier shooting at the United States Consulate in Toronto, authorities confirmed Thursday.

Pinizzotto, 43, was an 18-year veteran of the Toronto Police Service and served with the elite Emergency Task Force. He was fatally shot while officers executed a high-risk search warrant at an apartment building on Martha Eaton Way in northwest Toronto during the early hours of June 11.

Police said the incident unfolded at approximately 5:40 a.m. inside a fourth-floor apartment unit linked to an ongoing investigation involving multiple shootings across the Greater Toronto Area.

Officer Fatally Shot During Tactical Operation

According to Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw, officers entered the apartment as part of a coordinated operation when a suspect inside opened fire.

Constable Pinizzotto was struck once during the exchange. Another officer returned fire, critically wounding the suspect.

Pinizzotto was transported to Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, where he was later pronounced dead.

The suspect, identified by police as 19-year-old Nicholas Bennett, survived and remains hospitalized in critical condition. Authorities announced he will face a charge of first-degree murder in connection with the officer’s death.

Second Suspect Remains at Large

Police also identified a second suspect, 19-year-old Zara Jabbi, who remains at large.

Chief Demkiw warned that Jabbi should be considered armed and dangerous. Investigators urged the public not to approach him and to contact emergency services immediately if he is seen.

Authorities launched a large-scale manhunt following the raid, with additional tactical officers deployed across parts of the Greater Toronto Area.

The province’s Special Investigations Unit, which independently examines incidents involving police use of force or deaths connected to law enforcement, has opened a parallel investigation into the shooting.

Raid Linked to U.S. Consulate Attack Investigation

Officials confirmed that the raid was tied to a broader investigation into several violent incidents, including a March 2026 shooting targeting the heavily secured United States Consulate in downtown Toronto.

Canadian authorities previously described the consulate shooting as a serious national security incident after multiple gunshots were fired toward the diplomatic facility.

The United States Department of Justice has linked the consulate attack to an international campaign allegedly directed by Iranian-backed militant networks.

Last month, US federal prosecutors announced charges against Iraqi national Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi, who investigators allege is connected to Kata’ib Hizballah and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

According to US authorities, Al-Saadi coordinated multiple planned attacks targeting diplomatic and strategic sites across North America and Europe, including the Toronto consulate shooting.