Ontario Man Charged For Pointing Assault-Style Rifle At Chinese Consulate Security Officer

A 27-year-old man from Thornhill has been arrested and charged after allegedly pointing an assault-style rifle at a security officer at the Consulate General of the People's Republic of China in Toronto this week.

Toronto Police Service (TPS) issued a press release on August 12 informing the public of Shuang Zhu's arrest.

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TPS responded to the incident earlier this week, on August 9, at 7 p.m., for a "gun call" at the Chinese consulate on 240 St. George Street in Toronto.

Police allege that the man parked his vehicle across the street from the consulate and pointed his assault-style riffle at a front gate security officer.

The following day TPS obtained a search warrant and searched a Thornhill address, where they found "several airsoft (pellet) guns and tactical body armour."

TPS seized the items from the address and charged Zhu with pointing a firearm, and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose.

Zhu was scheduled to appear in court on August 11, at 10 a.m., at College Park Courts.

Police are asking anyone with information to "contact police at 416-808-5300, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), or at www.222tips.com."

Toronto is no stranger to gun violence, and while no one was shot in this incident, another man, on August 9, was shot at Trinity Bellwoods Park in a seemingly unrelated incident and was sent to hospital with "non-life threatening injuries."

Last month Toronto saw several shootings, including one with a man shot and killed at Union Station, and another who was shot at a Toronto nightclub, who later died.