Mike Baker

Again, that's fabletics.com slash pdb for 70 to 80% off everything as a new VIP.

In today's Back of the Brief, I want to talk about a growing investigation north of the U.S.

border in Toronto that's raising serious questions about who may be behind a string of attacks targeting synagogues, Jewish institutions, and the American consulate.

At first, many of the shootings and arson attacks appeared to be isolated incidents.

Viewed individually, each case looked like just another criminal investigation for authorities to solve.

But as detectives began comparing evidence from one scene to the next, a pattern emerged, and police now say those attacks may not have been separate at all.

Instead, investigators believe the attacks may have been carried out by what Toronto officials describe as multi-layered gun-for-hire networks that recruit young people through encrypted messaging platforms, pay them to carry out shootings, and shield the people giving the orders.

That theory began gaining traction as authorities started linking firearms to multiple crime scenes.

According to police, one 9mm handgun has been connected to six separate shootings, while a second, a .45 caliber handgun, has been linked to 21 others.

Yes, in the world of investigations, those would be considered clues.

Investigators say some of the criminal networks appeared to be sharing firearms, an important detail that helped detectives connect incidents that initially looked unrelated.

Police say at least two of those weapons originated in the U.S.

before making their way into Canada.

Now, ballistics testing remains ongoing, but authorities say the evidence points to a coordinated network rather than a collection of isolated actors.

And as investigators pulled on those threads, they uncovered another troubling detail.

According to Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkew, the networks appear to recruit young adults through encrypted messaging platforms before paying them to carry out attacks.

To receive payment, investigators say that recruits are required to film the shootings as proof.

Demkew said at a press conference, quote, Who's paying for this?

This is what we're trying to determine.

In many cases, investigators suspect the shooters themselves may not know.