Toronto hire shootings likely paid for by Iran, CBC investigation finds

A pattern across Toronto

CBC News identified 12 politically motivated shootings in Toronto that appear to have been funded by Iran’s government. Targets included synagogues, a school, businesses in the Greater Toronto Area and the U.S. Consulate downtown.

Several attacks took place in the hours and days after the U.S. and Israel began bombing Iran on Feb. 28 and killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. No one was hurt in the shootings. Suspects allegedly used stolen vehicles, fired at building entrances and recorded the attacks on phones.

Ballistic testing connected firearms used in attacks on political targets with shootings involving Green For Life, a waste management company. Police say the same guns appeared in incidents that crossed between geopolitical and other targets.

Investigators trace the money

Toronto Police, the RCMP and CSIS are investigating whether a foreign power directed the attacks. Some alleged gunmen have been arrested and charged, but police say identifying the people who financed the shootings is more difficult.

Chief Superintendent Joe Matthews said investigators were considering possible foreign actors, while cautioning that a direct connection between a financier and a shooter was not apparent. The alleged gun-for-hire system uses encrypted apps and intermediaries, creating distance between those who arrange violence and those who carry it out.

CBC News reviewed court records and profiles of accused people. Many suspects are young, with ages ranging from 15 to their early 20s, and several face charges related to more than one attack.

International allegations and response

Iranian officials have been linked to alleged plots or attacks in Germany, the Netherlands, the U.K., Australia and the United States. An indictment in New York alleges Mohammad Baqer al-Saadi helped coordinate attacks in Europe and two in Canada, including the March 2026 shooting at Toronto’s U.S. Consulate and an assault on an unnamed synagogue.

Canada joined 20 other countries in June to condemn what they called Iran’s lethal plotting and other malign actions. Security analyst Keir Giles said the approach resembles methods Russia has used in Europe, while encrypted messaging and online recruitment have made it easier to enlist people.

CBC News asked Iran’s Foreign Ministry about alleged involvement in Toronto, but received no response. Iran has rejected previous claims that it sponsors violence abroad.

Synagogue community stands firm

Beth Avraham Yoseph of Toronto was hit by gunfire in early March 2026, damaging its front doors and windows. Rabbi Daniel Korobkin said the shooting brought anger and frustration, but the congregation would not be intimidated.

Korobkin said it made little difference to the community whether an assailant acted from personal hatred or was paid by someone far away. He said the congregation wanted the violence to stop and wanted to find ways to prevent it in the future.