A Crown prosecutor argued in front of a Superior Court judge Monday that one of two suspects who police alleged fired shots at the U.S. Consulate in March should not have been released in bail.
Zara Jabbi, 19, was arrested on June 17, less than a week after Toronto Police Const. Marc Pinizzotto was shot to death.
Pinizzotto was killed while he and other members of the TPS Emergency Task Force were executing a coordinated series of high-risk pre-dawn raids inside apartment buildings near Black Creek and Tretheway Drive.
At the time, the Toronto Police Service (TPS) said the search warrants were in relation to the U.S. Consulate shooting and other targeted shootings across the city in an alleged “gun for hire” network. Police allege young people were being hired to carry out gun crimes and film the shootings, in exchange for payment.
Chief Myron Demkiw said as a result of the search warrants, two firearms were recovered including a 9 mm handgun and a .45-caliber handgun both which originated from the United States.
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“These details are important as this investigation involves at least six shootings incidents in the greater Toronto area linked to a 9 mm handgun and at least 21 shooting incidents in the Greater Toronto Area linked to a .45-calibre handgun,” said Demkiw at the time.
Nicolas Bennett, the man who allegedly shot 43-year-old Pinizzotto remains in custody. Bennett is charged with first-degree murder in relation to the slain officer.
Jabbi was arrested after police issued a warrant for his arrest. He was charged with six counts including theft of a motor vehicle, discharge of a restricted or prohibited firearm at a place, attack on premises of internationally protected persons, and possession of a firearm knowing its possession is unauthorized.
After a bail hearing on July 7, Jabbi was released on house arrest bail with GPS monitoring.
The reasons Jabbi was released on bail cannot be reported due to a court-imposed publication ban.
The Crown is seeking to overturn the decision made by a Justice of the Peace at the Ontario Court of Justice.
Jabbi’s co-accused, 18-year-old Sheldon Tracey-Stewart who was arrested on the day of the takedown, remains in custody.
Police responded to a call at the United States Consulate at 360 University Ave. on March 10, 2026 at 5:29 a.m.
Investigators say a white Honda CR-V stopped in front of the U.S. Consulate on University Avenue on March 10, 2026 just before 5:30 a.m.
Two males, whom they allege to be Jabbi and Tracey-Stewart, exited and fired multiple rounds at the building. The suspects then re-entered the Honda and drove southbound on University Avenue.
Police say responding officers located evidence consistent with a firearm discharge, including damage to the glass and doors of the building and shell casings at the scene. People were inside the Consulate, but no one was injured.
The Honda, which police say had been stolen shortly before the incident, was later located abandoned in Scarborough.
The TPS Integrated Gun and Gang Task Force is leading the investigation with the support of the Counter-Terrorism Security Unit. The RCMP and the Integrated National Security Enforcement Team (INSET) commenced a parallel investigation and are treating the incident as a “national security incident.”
Superior Court Justice Heather McArthur will deliver her decision on the bail review on Thursday.
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