Suspect Arrested in Shooting at Jewish-Owned Restaurant in Toronto

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Old Avenue Restaurant in Toronto

On April 8, 2026, Toronto Police issued the following press release:

Case #: 2026-683381

Today, Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw, Chief Superintendent Katherine Stephenson of Intelligence Services, and Superintendent Ryan Forde of Organized Crime Enforcement, announced an arrest made in a Firearm Discharge investigation.

On Friday, April 3, 2026, at approximately 1:28 a.m., police responded to a call for Sounds of Gunshots in the Avenue Road and Brooke Avenue area.

It is alleged that:

a person called police after hearing gunshots in the area

officers deployed in the area arrived on scene and found evidence of gunfire and damage to a business

the accused was observed fleeing the scene in a dark coloured SUV

there were no reported injuries

Officers from the Integrated Gun and Gang Task Force commenced an investigation into this incident with support from the Hate Crime Unit and the Service’s Counter Terrorism Security Unit.

On Sunday, April 5, 2026, two days after the incident, a Criminal Code search warrant was executed in the Boviard Drive East and Torbram Road area, in Brampton.

Mohamed Mahdi, 35, of Brampton, has been arrested and charged with:

Discharge a Restricted Firearm or Prohibited Firearm

Possession of a Loaded Prohibited or Restricted Firearm

Unauthorized Possession of a Firearm

Unauthorized Possession of a Firearm in Motor Vehicle

He was scheduled to appear in court at the Toronto Regional Bail Centre, 2201 Finch Avenue West, on Monday, April 6, 2026, at 10 a.m., in room 106.

In a press conference, Chief Superintendent Katherine Stephenson of Intelligence Services, stated:

At this point, yes, we are still reviewing evidence and it’s critically important that we uncover the motive in this case. As I’ve said earlier, uh motive, whether that be uh networks or identifying lone uh lone actor behavior, this is critical to understanding the broader threat picture.