EDITORIAL: Remind us again how safe we are

While politicians shrug and cite statistics, cops pay price on murderous frontlines

Published Aug 07, 2026  •  2 minute read

The casket holding Toronto Police Const. Marc Pinizzotto is carried at his funeral at Toronto Congress Centre on Wednesday June 24, 2026. Pinizzotto was killed in the line of duty on June 11, 2026. Photo by Ernest Doroszuk /Toronto Sun

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The only response to politicians who suggest this country’s streets are safer than ever is this: Who are you trying to kid?

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They may produce statistics to show that homicides are down. Those numbers don’t reflect the violence in our neighbourhoods, on our transit systems or at street festivals, leaving residents feeling violated. Why not give us the numbers for auto thefts, home invasions and assaults on buses?

What are the statistics on drive-by shootings at the American consulate in Toronto? There have been two this year. That’s a 200% increase over last year.

How about the increase in attacks on Jewish schools and synagogues since 2023? A kosher deli in Montreal was torched last week. Dozens of Jewish-owned businesses have been targeted with bullets since Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

Police are doing their best. In Toronto, they announced the arrest this week of two suspects in the most recent consulate shootings. But, as Postmedia columnist Joe Warmington reports, their frustration is palpable.

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He quotes Toronto Police Association president Clayton Campbell: “It’s out of control.”

While politicians shrug and cite statistics, cops pay the price on the murderous frontlines. Toronto Police lost one of their own in their attempt to arrest a suspect in the March consulate shooting. Police Const. Marc Pinizzotto, a member of the Emergency Task Force, was gunned down in a raid allegedly related to the consulate shooting. His death isn’t a statistic. It’s a tragedy.

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Announcing two arrests in the most recent shooting, Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw alleged that young thugs are recruited through encrypted messaging apps. He claims they’re paid by international crime groups to shoot up targets in our cities. We should be grateful these kids are such bad shots; otherwise they’d play havoc with the politicians’ proud statements on the low homicide rate.

Cops recently arrested Xen-Ul-Abdeen Syed, 19, who faces 15 charges — some allegedly related to the consulate shooting. According to court documents, in May he was charged with failing to comply with a release order and cocaine possession. A 15-year-old, who cannot be identified under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, was charged with 17 offences and six counts of failing to comply with release orders.

But don’t worry. Ask any politician. Everything’s just fine.

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