A Toronto police officer shot and killed while executing a search warrant in North York on Thursday morning was a long-standing member of the force and a former elite hockey player.
Identified as 43-year-old Const. Marc Pinizzotto, the officer worked for the Toronto Police Service for 18 years.
Chief Myron Denkiw said Pinizzotto had spent the last five-plus years of his policing career as a “specially trained” member of the Emergency Task Force unit.
A senior officer who spoke with CP24 on Thursday said he was Pinizzotto’s coach officer when he first joined the force. He described him as a “dream recruit,” someone who had good life experience and a passion for the job.
Sources tell CP24 that Pinizzotto was a married father of 14-year-old twins, a boy and girl.
He came from a hockey family
Pinizzotto was also an accomplished hockey player who competed professionally in Europe prior to joining the Toronto Police Service.
In a statement posted on X, the Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) shared that it is “deeply saddened to learn of the tragic passing” of Pinizzotto.
“On behalf of the OJHL Board of Governors, member teams, players, coaches, alumni, and staff, we extend our heartfelt condolences to Marc’s family, friends, colleagues, and all those whose lives were touched by his remarkable dedication and service,” the organization wrote.
“His passing is a profound loss for his family, his colleagues, his community, and the entire hockey world. Our thoughts and prayers are with all who knew and loved him during this incredibly difficult time.”
Pinizzotto began his hockey career in 1998 as a member of the Stoney Creek Spirit, a Canadian Junior B hockey team that played in the Golden Horseshoe Junior Hockey League from 1994 to 2001. He joined the Oakville Blades Jr. A Hockey Club, which is part of the Ontario Junior Hockey League, for the 1999-2000 season and remained a member of the team until the 2002-2003 season.
He rounded out his career on ice by joining Thuringen EHC based in Erfurt, Germany, for the 2007-2008 season.
His younger brother Steve also played for the Oakville Blades before securing a NCAA scholarship and going onto a career in the NHL.
Further, Pinizzotto’s older brother Jason played for a couple seasons on the Oakville Blades before playing professionally in Germany.
Chow says she knows officer’s mom
At a press conference earlier on Thursday, Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow said she had known Pinizzotto’s mother “very well for 20-plus years,” adding that his family’s grief is “shared across this entire city.”
“Police officers go to work every day, knowing the risk, putting themselves in harm’s way to protect others, and today is a devastating reminder of that sacrifice,” the mayor said.
