Toronto Police Officer Dies in Shootout During Warrant Execution

A 43-year-old Toronto constable was fatally wounded during an armed confrontation while police served a search warrant at an apartment building, with a teenager now facing murder charges.

Toronto Police Officer Dies in Shootout During Warrant Execution

A 43-year-old Toronto police constable lost his life early Thursday when shots were exchanged as law enforcement personnel carried out a search warrant at a residential complex in the city's northwest.

The incident unfolded shortly before dawn near the intersection of Tretheway Drive and Black Creek Drive. Members of the emergency task force had arrived at a fourth-floor unit as part of a wider probe into gun-related incidents across the Greater Toronto Area. One such incident under investigation involved the U.S. consulate, which had been targeted in March.

According to the Special Investigations Unit, a young man inside the apartment discharged a weapon, striking the officer. A colleague then returned fire, hitting the 19-year-old assailant, who was rushed to hospital in critical condition. Four other people were inside the unit when the violence erupted.

The fallen officer was identified as Marc Pinizzotto, who had served on the force for nearly two decades and was assigned to the emergency task force for the past five years. Toronto's police chief, speaking emotionally to reporters, paid tribute to the veteran officer and noted the profound grief felt throughout the department.

Authorities announced that the wounded teenager, identified as Nicholas Bennett and residing in Toronto, will be prosecuted for first-degree murder. A second young man, 19-year-old Zara Jabbi, remains unaccounted for and is sought in connection with the broader firearms investigation. Officials have cautioned that he may be armed and should not be approached.

The police oversight body is reviewing the events that transpired inside the building. A solemn procession later carried Pinizzotto's remains from Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre to the coroner's facility.

Political leaders at the federal, provincial, and municipal levels expressed sorrow over the killing. The city's landmark CN Tower dimmed its lights periodically throughout the evening as a mark of respect.

Source: CBC

Source: Google News CA — Crime (EN)