Skip to Content Subscribe Our Offers My Account Manage My Subscriptions FAQ Newsletters Canada Canadian True Crime Canadian Politics Health World Israel & Middle East Financial Post NP Comment Longreads Puzzmo Diversions Comics NP News Quiz New York Times Crossword Horoscopes Life Eating & Drinking Style Sponsored Play for Ontario Travel Travel Canada Travel USA Travel International Cruises Travel Essentials Culture Books Celebrity Movies Music Theatre Television Business Essentials Advice Lives Told Tails Told Shopping Buy Canadian Home Living Outdoor Living Kitchen & Dining Tech Style & Beauty Personal Care Entertainment & Hobbies Gift Guide Travel Guide Amazon Prime Day Deals Savings National Post Store More Sports Hockey Baseball Basketball Football Soccer Golf Tennis Driving Vehicle Research Reviews News Gear Guide Obituaries Place an Obituary Place an In Memoriam Classifieds Place an Ad Celebrations Working Business Ads Archives Healthing Epaper Manage Print Subscription Profile Settings My Subscriptions Saved Articles My Offers Newsletters Customer Service FAQ Newsletters Canada World Financial Post NP Comment Longreads Puzzmo Diversions Life Shopping Epaper Manage Print Subscription HomeNP CommentAccused Toronto shooter was free despite torture conviction, alleged gun smuggling indictmentTristin Hopper: He was one of three men who broke into a Montreal home, beating and torturing the victim until he surrendered $15,000 in cryptocurrency You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.A Toronto police cruiser. Photo by Ernest Doroszuk/Toronto Sun/Postmedia/FileA 25-year-old accused of opening fire on a Toronto nightclub crowd before running over pedestrians in a stolen rideshare vehicle had been free despite being arrested in a torture investigation just last year.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorOn Sunday, Toronto Police announced that Omar Abdul Singateh, 25, was facing 10 charges, including reckless discharge of a firearm, in connection with a chaotic 3:30 a.m. shooting outside the city’s Rebel nightclub.According to police, a man opened fire on patrons leaving the nightclub, before stealing a rideshare vehicle “that had customers on board.”This newsletter from NP Comment tackles the topics you care about. (Subscriber-exclusive edition on Fridays)By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againWith four passengers trapped in the car, the shooter then “struck pedestrians and vehicles” while attempting to flee.At the time of the incident, Singateh was awaiting sentencing for a brutal home invasion and extortion case.In the summer of 2024, Singateh was one of three men who broke into the home of a Montreal-area cryptocurrency entrepreneur, beating and torturing the victim until he surrendered $15,000 in cryptocurrency.The victim was “beaten and tortured by his assailants for several hours,” read an April 2025 statement by Montreal law enforcement issued soon after Singateh’s arrest for the crime.It added, “after succeeding in obtaining from the victim the details required to enable a cryptocurrency transfer, the suspects fled.”Singateh pleaded guilty in May, just before his trial we set to begin, Le Journal de Montréal reported.It’s also been just seven months since Singateh was named in a U.S. indictment regarding an alleged smuggling ring moving illegal guns into Canada.In December 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida named Singateh as a member of a five-man smuggling ring that had moved more than 100 illegal guns into Canada, including some known to have been used in criminal activity.“These individuals trafficked, and conspired to traffic, more than 100 firearms from Florida to Canada in 2023 and 2024. Of those firearms, 29 were recovered from Canadian crime scenes, including homicides,” read a press release issued by the U.S. Department of Justice.The unsealed U.S. indictment listed Singateh’s nicknames as “Debo” and “So Live.”Toronto gun crimes have been increasing rapidly in recent years, with law enforcement largely crediting a surge of smuggled weapons coming in via the United States. One December incident profiled by The New York Times saw 100 shots fired as part of a gang war that began outside a recording studio. Of 16 firearms connected to the shootout, all had originated in the U.S. One of Singateh’s new charges is possessing a firearm “while prohibited,” which usually refers to a breach of parole conditions.As with the U.S. guns Singateh is accused of smuggling into Canada, this firearm was also found at a crime scene. Police announced that a gun was recovered from the stolen rideshare.Singateh is also charged with “causing bodily harm” via dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, as well as four counts of forcible confinement – an apparent reference to the rideshare passengers trapped in the escaping vehicle.The people Singateh is alleged to have shot or hit with a car all sustained what police described as “non-life threatening” injuries. Singateh also sustained “gunshot injuries” during the spree.The Rebel nightclub incident was one of several high-profile public shootings to hit Toronto over the weekend. The most notable being a “targeted” shooting that occurred amidst the city’s Salsa on St. Clair street festival. Two people were killed and four injured when two gunmen fired at each other amidst the crowded festival, forcing crowds to flee. Police have not identified the shooters.The two victims were identified as Shaquan Quashie, 25, and Cesar Vernaza, 20, whom police said were known to each other. Join the Conversation This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.