Toronto police officer killed in raid linked to multiple shootings

· UPI

June 11 (UPI) -- A Toronto police officer was killed on Thursday during a raid linked to a string of shootings, including one in March at a U.S. consulate.

Marc Pinizzotto of the Toronto Police Service's Emergency Task Force was shot while executing a search warrant at an apartment complex early Thursday and later died after being rushed to the hospital, police officials said in a statement.

The warrant is one of a series that were executed by TPS on Thursday that are connected to a string of shootings in the city, including at the building where Pinizzotto was shot, as well as in March at the U.S. consulate there.

The shooting at the consulate, which has been the scene of several protests in recent years, resulted in no injuries, though no suspects had since been arrested.

Related

Police have released little about the raid at the building, or any others, because Pinizzotto's death happened amid part of a national security investigation, The Toronto Star reported.

"The investigation that lead to the search warrant where Police Constable Marc Pinizzotto was tragically killed concerned a number of shootings, including the shooting at the United States consulate on University Avenue," TPS Chief Myron Demkiw said in the statement.

"There were several search warrants executed this morning," Dimkiw said.

The suspects being investigated have been linked to a string of shootings, including the consulate shooting, when two suspects exited a car outside the building and starting shooting at police, The BBC reported.

One suspect, who was shot multiple times by police, is in the hospital in critical condition, while police are still searching for another suspect.

This week in Washington

The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) arena is seen as preparations continue for the UFC Freedom 250 event on the South Lawn of the White House on Thursday. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo