Today, Toronto Police Service Chief Myron Demkiw, alongside Staff Superintendents Joe Matthews and Kelly Skinner, revealed the results of Project Beacon, the Tow Truck Task Force initiative. Launched in late June 2024, Project Beacon was created to address the alarming rise in tow truck-related crimes in Toronto, involving specialized squads, divisional officers, and strategic resources.

As part of this initiative, four individuals have been arrested, and 177 charges have been laid in connection with one homicide and 13 tow truck-related shootings. Since the start of 2024, Toronto has seen 43 incidents involving tow truck-related shootings and discharges, a significant spike in gun violence within the city.

Chief Demkiw emphasized the severity of the situation, stating, “We have taken a dynamic, Service-wide approach to the troubling rise in gun crime, and we believe 14 percent of all firearm discharges and shooting events in our city are connected to an ongoing territory dispute involving a small segment of the tow truck industry.”

The four arrests announced today are linked to separate incidents occurring between May and July 2024. These include the arrest of two youths, aged 15 and 16, in connection with the murder of 28-year-old Sulakshan Selvasingam of Pickering. The pair, who were found in possession of a Glock handgun, are also alleged to have been involved in 11 additional shooting incidents over a span of two weeks, including eight shootings over the Canada Day long weekend. In total, these youths face 154 charges related to these shootings.

Additionally, a 17-year-old male has been charged with six offenses related to a shooting incident in May 2024, where two parked tow trucks were targeted in the Markham Road and Steeles Avenue East area. No one was injured in the shooting, but one truck sustained damage. Jamal Sayed Waizi, 33, of Oshawa, has also been charged with conspiracy to commit an indictable offense in connection with this incident.

The Toronto Police Service collaborated with the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), Durham Regional Police Service, and Peel Regional Police in this investigation. Authorities continue to encourage anyone with additional information to contact the police or report anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 416-222-TIPS.

Due to legal restrictions under the Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA), the names of the youths involved in these incidents have not been released.