Toronto police officer fatally shot while carrying out search, chief says

A Toronto police officer who was shot early Thursday morning has died, as police search for a suspect potentially linked to other shootings, including one at the U.S. consulate in March, chief Myron Demkiw said.

Const. Marc Pinizzotto, 43, was shot while conducting a search in the area of Black Creek and Trethewey drives, Demkiw said.

Pinizzotto, who was with the police force for 18 years, was taken to Sunnybrook hospital, where he died.

“No words can capture the impact on Marc’s family, who expected him to come home today,” Demkiw said at a press conference outside the hospital. “We, as a service, will support them and each other.”

Toronto Police Association President Clayton Campbell added Pinizzotto was in a “high-risk takedown” when he was shot.

Police are searching for a 19-year-old man, while another suspect is in hospital being treated for injuries, Demkiw said.

The 19-year-old suspect, identified as Zara Jabbi, is believed to be armed and dangerous and police will release a photo of him, the chief said. Anyone who sees the suspect is asked to contact 911, Demkiw said.

Demkiw said the initial search was one of several conducted Thursday morning and pertained to multiple shootings, including one at the U.S. consulate in Toronto in March.

No injuries were reported in the U.S. consulate shooting, but RCMP said at the time that it was being treated as a “national security incident.”

Demkiw did not confirm if the suspects identified Thursday were linked to the U.S. consulate incident. Police did not immediately clarify the suspects’ alleged roles in Thursday’s events.

U.S. ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra had confirmed the death of a Toronto police officer earlier Thursday at an unrelated press conference, saying the shooting may be “linked to an investigation in the United States.”

“Our thoughts, our prayers are with the family of the police person who was killed,” Hoekstra said Thursday morning.

“It’s an example of the close co-operation that we have in law enforcement between the two countries, how we work together, and the risks involved in those types of activities.”

Ontario Premier Doug Ford offered his condolences to Pinizzotto’s family and the Toronto Police Service.

“Today is a sobering reminder of the sacrifices and risks faced by police officers across Ontario every day as they work to keep our province safe,” he said in a social media post.

Meanwhile, Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow called Pinizzotto’s death “heartbreaking news.”

“There are no words that can east the pain of the family, the loved ones and the colleagues across the service,” Chow said outside the hospital. “Their grief is shared across the entire city.”

Coun. Shelley Carroll, who chairs the Toronto Police Service Board, said Pinizzotto “made the ultimate sacrifice in service of others.”

“Toronto stands with the officer’s family and the entire service during this difficult time,” she said in a statement.

An apartment building on Martha Eaton Way was cordoned off Thursday morning with caution tape as police vehicles lined the block and building residents watched the scene from their balconies.

Ontario’s police watchdog agency confirmed it was headed to the scene of the shooting.

The death of the Toronto constable comes just days after an Ontario Provincial Police officer was killed in northern Ontario.

OPP Const. Tarun Bali was struck and killed by a vehicle Tuesday near the town of Hearst, east of Thunder Bay. An 18-year-old suspect was charged with first-degree murder and other offences in Bali’s death.

Demkiw said there’s “deep sadness and sorrow” in the policing community this week.

“These moments remind us of the dangers our members face each and every day,” he said. “In the last two days, we’ve seen tragic loss of life … we’re standing together to support one another,” he said.

By Elissa Mendes and Rianna Lim