Surprise surprise, suspect in Toronto festival shooting has previous charges smuggling illegal firearms from US to Canada

[u/glassboxecology]

EDIT: I realize now through some of the commenters (thank you) that this suspect was NOT a suspect in the festival shooting, but rather a different shooting that same night in Toronto. I apologize for mis-tagging this idiot to the festival shooting, but my points below still stand. Different shooting, but still an idiot, still a failure of our legislative structure around legal and illegal firearms.

Press release from Toronto Police on Omar Abdul Singateh: https://www.tps.ca/media-centre/news-releases/66411/

Also arrested in 2025 in Montreal on kidnapping, robbery, and crypto theft: https://www.ctvnews.ca/montreal/article/3-men-facing-kidnapping-robbery-and-other-charges-in-crypto-theft-montreal-police/

Also arrested in 2025 on firearms trafficking (out of 100 illegal firearms trafficked, 29 of them were recovered in Canadian crime scenes): https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl/pr/two-men-arrested-international-firearms-trafficking-conspiracy

Emailed the below to my MP, feel free to do the same:

Subject: URGENT: The Failure of Current Firearms Policies and the Need for Mandatory Minimums

Dear [Insert MP Name],

I am writing to you today to express my sheer disgust and profound frustration with the current state of our justice system and the misdirected firearms policies enforced by this government. The recent shooting and subsequent arrest at Polson and Cherry Street in Toronto on July 12 is a glaring example of how current legislation completely fails to protect Canadians, while simultaneously punishing law-abiding citizens.

The suspect in this shooting, Omar Abdul Singateh, is not a legal, vetted firearms owner. He is a known, violent criminal with a disturbing track record that the justice system repeatedly failed to address. Based on public reports and press releases, this individual was already known for:
- International Firearms Trafficking: He was previously arrested in connection with trafficking 100 illegal firearms into the country—29 of which have been recovered at Canadian crime scenes.
- Violent Kidnapping & Robbery: He was arrested in connection with a violent breaking and entering, forcible confinement, and cryptocurrency robbery in Montreal.
- The Recent Toronto Shooting: Despite his severe criminal history, he was out on our streets, where he recklessly exchanged gunfire, stole a rideshare vehicle, and struck pedestrians while fleeing the scene.

It is completely unacceptable that an individual with a history of smuggling illegal weapons and violent kidnapping was free to terrorize the streets of Toronto.

While repeat offenders and illegal firearms traffickers are met with a revolving door justice system, this government insists on pouring resources into arbitrary Order in Council (OIC) bans that strictly target legally licensed, heavily vetted, and law-abiding firearms owners. Legal gun owners are not the ones shooting up our streets, yet we are the ones bearing the brunt of the government's "public safety" measures. It is entirely unfair and ineffective to penalize citizens who follow the law while actual threats are repeatedly let out on bail or handed lenient sentences.

Canadians deserve real public safety, not political theater. Therefore, I am urging you, as my elected representative, to push for the following immediate actions:

1. Reverse the OIC Bans: Stop the arbitrary and unfair targeting of legal firearms owners. These bans do nothing to take illegal guns out of the hands of violent criminals.
2. Introduce Mandatory Minimum Sentencing: Champion immediate legislation that imposes harsh, mandatory minimum sentences for criminals convicted of smuggling and trafficking illegal weapons into Canada.

Our streets are becoming more dangerous because the government is focusing on the wrong target. We need laws that keep violent, repeat offenders and illegal gun runners behind bars.
I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this urgent matter and learning what actionable steps you will take in Parliament to address the real source of gun violence in our country.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[Your Phone Number]
[Your Email]

[u/Tomato13]

Don't worry the judge will make sure the jail time isn't too punitive for his mental health 

[u/Uncle_Rabbit → u/Tomato13]

Maybe it could have an effect on his immigration status so the judge will just give him a slap on the wrist.

[u/poisonousappetizer → u/Uncle_Rabbit]

Lmao I was in the process of writing this same sentiment... Wouldn't want him to face deportation.

Though he may be born and raised here too, and instead face legitimate inconveniences for a few months till they let him go. Rather than that wrist slap.

[u/Tomato13 → u/Uncle_Rabbit]

Slap is too harsh. Maybe we can restrict his social media apps and we can blame chat gpt. 

[u/Spydude84 → u/Tomato13]

Restrict his social media apps? That would be tragic. No, we must restrict all social media apps for all Canadians.

[u/wireditfellow → u/Spydude84]

How about house arrest while paying him so he can survive and maybe more so he can have entertainment.

[u/HappyCan7250 → u/Tomato13]

Maybe he'll get a payout even, like the criminals who all received thousands of dollars for "unfair punishment" for being put in solitary after acting out in jail. Judge ruled it cruel and unusual punishment to keep them in solitary and got thousands of dollars. Our country is fucking insane, specifically the judges.

[u/FGH-grand21 → u/Tomato13]

Ok good hopefully they give him some money for his pain and suffering welcome to Canada

[u/IcySkyDream → u/Tomato13]

Punitive doesn't mean what you think it does.

[u/AssignmentPutrid3197]

Really unfortunate that Canada legalized crime years ago

[u/rastamasta45]

I absolutely love how Poly stays silent over these things. Human life is worthless to their ideology

[u/rastamasta45]

Woah woah, he wasn’t a licensed gun owner???? Are you telling me Poly and the LPC are lying to me?? That’s not possible, Christ, I mean Careny is a genius!

[u/Playful_Violinist_53 → u/rastamasta45]

No one ever said it's licensed gun owners going on shooting sprees. This one was not the festival shooting though.

[u/Gloomy-Grocery6562]

"Omar Abdul Singateh, 25, of Brampton"

[u/snasna102 → u/Gloomy-Grocery6562]

This had me dying

[u/Careless_Ad_21 → u/Gloomy-Grocery6562]

I don't know if I can ever tell you enough, how frigging awesome this is! 😂😂😂

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[u/glassboxecology → u/Gloomy-Grocery6562]

“Give me 1,000 illegal firearms”

[u/Otherwise_Rub_9515 → u/glassboxecology]

Up in the clubbbb

It was Shawn. He did it on spec. 

[u/hkhunkhun → u/Gloomy-Grocery6562]

Actual statistics show West and South Asians are underrepresented in the prison population vis-a-vis their overall population in Canada. Nice try though.

https://www.canada.ca/en/correctional-service/corporate/library/research/glance/446p.html

[u/h3IIfir3pho3nix → u/hkhunkhun]

"Arab/West Asian men were found to be the fastest growing offender group, increasing by 76% over the study period."

From your own article.

[u/Natural_Comparison21 → u/h3IIfir3pho3nix]

Almost like we are not properly vetting people and organized crime are bringing in people to do there dirty work for them.

[u/hkhunkhun → u/h3IIfir3pho3nix]

And yet still more underrepresented in crime per capita than white people. Pot calls the kettle black

[u/SlowDebate3165 → u/hkhunkhun]

lol the massive cope ya'll have against literal facts and numbers is hilarious.

[u/hockeyfanatic777]

I sent one to my MP.

I also added this to mine:

This example was in Toronto, but it applies everywhere. Ontario is a big problem, with many criminals smuggling guns from the US. Those are the majority of weapons used in violent crimes. 

Are we going to ban knives because of all the stabbing in Winnipeg, Thompson, The Pas?

What about hammers? Jerry Kipling was convicted in 2021 for an assault on a teenager in Winnipeg in 2020, where he lodged the claw part of the hammer into the boys skull and brain. He now has life altering issues because of this. Will we ban hammers next?

What about pencils? The same man, Jerry Kipling, stabbed an inmate in jail with a pencil. Will we ban pencils too?

The problems aren’t the tools.. it’s those who misuse them or have violent intentions. Firearm owners already get vetted and are under a watchful eye for these dangerous circumstances. 

We are not the problem. 

Criminals are. 
____________________

Not as well written as yours, my thoughts are pretty disorganized lol but thought I’d add some Manitoba flair to it

[u/CapnFuntime → u/hockeyfanatic777]

Stabbings are why you cant buy a machete in Manitoba anymore. Cause you know that'll stop the criminals 🤷‍♂️

[u/imnotm3h → u/CapnFuntime]

Guess I better get some machetes before the Ontario ban… that way I can still use them at my local machete range

[u/CapnFuntime → u/imnotm3h]

If you dont you'll have to snuggle them in from the next province over like me 🤣🤣

[u/Big-Guitar-1979]

Meantime, Poly is still bitching on Twitter. Imagine she spends whole life fighting the legal gun owners. What a joke

[u/LegalPusher → u/Big-Guitar-1979]

But fighting gun smugglers might actually make a difference, and then she'd be out of a job.

[u/R4ID]

and poly will never mention the event or even acknowledge it happened.

[u/Reasonable_Hall2346 → u/R4ID]

Lets spend a few more billions going after the SKS instead.

[u/Vahuo89]

They'll still blame us because it's easier 

[u/StalkerRigo]

Watch r/onretardeforthee not say a word about it because its not le cool narrative

[u/Low-HangingFruit]

Amazing how fast this dropped off the front of CBCs top story once the arrest was announced.

[u/itsagrapefruit]

We might be at the point where anyone with a main address in Brampton shouldn’t have a pal.

[u/Enough_Challenge7264]

...and where did this little sh1thead come from, who sponsored him, and how do we get them all out of this sh1thole country!?

[u/Mdaumer]

Our fucking country is a joke, allowing these pieces of shit to roam the streets terrorizing us, with zero consequences.

[u/casa_del_porno]

He didn’t learn from his previous mistakes but I am sure this time will be different, dude appears to be remorseful. - probably what the judge will say when he is found guilty and given a sentence of time served, probation and prohibited to own legal firearms…

[u/BigDaddyReaper]

Sure wish the press/police would release mug shots like they do down south. Since they are going to release them anyway, it would be nice to know who to look out for.

[u/64Olds]

How could this law-abiding licensed gun owner do this? Better issue another OIC.

/s

[u/yummybunnybear]

The only time you'll hear "mandatory" in the criminal justice system is when they go after legal firearm owners (sorry Gary, the confiscation is not voluntary)

[u/orange1690]

Ya know what the answer is right? Ban another legal firearm. That'll fix it.

[u/Ijustwanttobuyshiny]

Just correcting your title so everyone has accurate info, **this is not a suspect in the recent festival shooting on st claire**

This person was arrested for a completely unrelated shooting that took place this morning and has nothing to do with the yesterday’s high profile festival shooting.

As for the letter… We need gun law changes for us, the public to protect our rights to own firearms. Keep that as the issue, don’t combine it with a call for mandatory minimums. Doing so obscures the issue , which is fighting for OUR rights as gun owners, not our rights plus mandatory minimums.

Let’s stick to our lane and keep this directly focused on what we want for ourselves as gun owners and that alone. Co-opting a call for harsher penalties against offenders just isn’t productive in terms of stating what we demand and having it be heard clearly enough to get a politician to work.

[u/iNeedAdivorce]

I'm shocked that this is the ethnicity of the person that would commit such a crime. Totally fucking stunned. Completely unbelievable. Build this fucker a statue everywhere and paint his face. Can I wash his feet?

[u/GrandmaFUPA]

Just FYI that's not the festival shooting, but a different one that happened last night

[u/sounoriginal13]

Deport.

[u/Playful_Violinist_53]

Not the festival shooting, but the sheep follow like it's facts.

[u/OpeningElderberry845]

But hunters and natives are the problem!!! Take their guns away!!!!

[u/Cute_Ad6301]

https://giphy.com/gifs/fkBRFiKOJQEpjWOOke

[u/No-Art-3033]

you are posting fake news ... that is the rebel shooting ... am not disagreein with teh comments though

[u/canadaguns-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

In accordance with the subreddit rules, your post/comment has been removed for the following reason:

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[u/hunterofsteelhead]

Probally a licensed firearms owner and a pink gsg16