‘The best dad anyone could ask for:’ Funeral held for Toronto police officer killed in the line of duty

Thousands of people gathered Wednesday for the funeral of Const. Marc Pinizzotto, the 43-year-old Toronto Emergency Task Force (ETF) member who was killed in the line of duty earlier this month.

Police officers from in and around the Greater Toronto Area, emergency services personnel, dignitaries, and members of Pinizzotto’s family were in attendance for the service at the Toronto Congress Centre in Etobicoke.

Pinizzotto’s twin children were among those to speak, with his 14-year-old daughter Daniella remembering him as both the “building blocks” to her life and the “best dad anyone could ask for.”

FULL COVERAGE:

• EXCLUSIVE: ETF, 23 Division commanders pay tribute to slain Toronto police officer remembered as ‘best guy in every room’
• What we know so far about the veteran Toronto police officer fatally shot in North York
• Tributes pour in after police officer killed in Toronto

Pinizzotto, an 18-year veteran of the Toronto police Service, was shot in North York on June 11 while executing search warrants, including one connected to the shooting at the U.S. consulate in March. He later died in hospital.

A suspect, identified by police as 19-year-old Nicholas Bennett, was shot in an exchange of gunfire and remains in hospital. He’s been charged with first-degree murder.

Pinizzotto’s death marks the first time in the ETF’s 64-year history that one of its members has been killed in the line of duty.

Our live coverage has ended. Here’s a recap of the funeral.

3:20 p.m. - Funeral concludes

The funeral for Const. Marc Pinizzotto has concluded and his flag-draped casket is now being carried out of the Toronto Congress Centre as bagpipes play.

3:10 p.m. - ‘He was a rockstar’

Sgt. Ken Lefort, who is responsible for the ETF unit that Pinizzotto was assigned to, is now delivering a eulogy while flanked by other members of the team.

LeFort says that Pinizzotto was “professional, competent, courageous and had an unwavering commitment to his teammates” in everything he did.

He says that from time-to-time the team might have to operate at a reduced complement of officers but that was somehow less concerning with Pinizzotto in the fold.

“He made everyone better just by being around,” he said. “So whether it was on the ice or in the lineup he was a rockstar. He was brave, disciplined and ultra reliable. To me he was invincible.”

2:40 p.m. - ‘The best dad anyone could ask for’: Pinizzotto’s children speak

Daniella and Domenic, Pinizzotto’s 14-year-old twin children, remembered their father as a role model, a shoulder to cry on, and a guiding light in their young lives.

“I remember I’d come home from school, upset and having a bad day, and you would remind me that you love me. And then we’d watch a movie together, and all my worries and emotions would go away,” Daniella said.

“I look up to him and will continue to, because he showed me how to be a funny but serious person, and that is what I love most about him, he put in the effort every day to teach me new things to make me a better person,” said Domenic.

Daniella said what hurts “the most” is knowing she won’t get to hug her father or hold his hand again, saying that she would “do anything” to see him one last time.

“It’s so hard to say goodbye to your everything, and for me, my everything was my dad. He was the building blocks to my life, the string that tied the family together, but most of all, the best dad anyone could ask for,” she said.

2:30 p.m. - ‘Marc’s story is not about the evil that took him’

Jay and Steve Pinizzotto fought through tears to deliver a tribute to their late brother.

“A 19-year-old took Marc’s life while he was serving and protecting all of us. The reality is difficult to understand, impossible to accept. But today, we refuse to let that moment define him. Because Marc’s story is not about the evil that took him” said Steve.

“His story is about the good he gave to this world. His story is about courage, it’s about service, it’s about commitment, and it’s about family. It’s about the man who spent his life running towards danger, so others could run away from it. A man who wore a badge with pride and honour, and a man who made our family proud every single day.”

2:20 p.m. - ‘He loved his family, he loved his job, and he loved hockey’: Pinizzotto’s brother-in-law

Pinizzotto’s brother-in-law, Aaron Laws, said that anybody who knew March knew “he loved his family, he loved his job, and he loved hockey.”

“Anybody that knew Marc really, really well knew how much he loved unicorns, flamingos, and rainbows,” Laws said, jokingly.

An accomplished hockey player, Pinizzotto competed professionally in Europe prior to joining the Toronto Police Service.

• READ MORE: What we know about the veteran Toronto police officer fatally shot in North York

He 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.

With files from Joanna Lavoie

2:05 p.m. - ETF Superintendent delivers tearful message to TPS

“While this loss has gutted us, we will not hesitate. We will still come.”

That was ETF Acting Supt. Peter Morris’ message to the Toronto Police Service in the wake of Pinizzotto’s passing.

“We will still stand beside you, put a hand on your shoulder, and let you know we’ve got you,” he said, fighting back tears.

Speaking directly to Pinizzotto’s ETF teammates, Morris acknowledged that his loss will “leave scars.”

“But hear this clearly: What you demonstrated that day alongside Mark was courage, discipline, and true teamwork. There is no clearer example of bravery, and what this unit is about, and Marc, ”Pinner” embodied everything we stand for: quiet professionalism, unquestioned courage, and a relentless commitment to the people beside him.

1:50 p.m. - Premier Ford, U.S. Ambassador to Canada Hoekstra in attendance

Dignitaries in attendance include Ontario Premier Doug Ford, U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra, Ontario Lieutenant Governor Edith Dumont and Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow.

1:45 p.m. - ‘Marc is a hero’: Pinizzotto’s mother

Pinizzotto’s mother, Linda, spoke at Wednesday’s service and said that he will be remembered for “his kindness, his loyalty, and genuine concern for others” that she said touched “countless lives.”

“Marc is a hero. He stepped into policing with passion, dedication, and an unwavering commitment to serving his community,” she said.

“He devoted himself to his training, perfecting his skills, using special abilities to make a difference in this world, understanding the reality that it can be harsh and unforgiving. For Marc, policing was not simply a career, it was a calling, it was his legacy.”

1:35 p.m. - Toronto police saw largest deployment of officers day after Pinizzotto’s death for FIFA World Cup

In delivering his remarks, Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw pointed out that the day after Pinizzotto died, the TPS saw its largest-ever deployment of officer personnel to mark the start of the FIFA World Cup in Toronto, which he said speaks to the commitment of Toronto’s officers.

“Policing is one of the few professions that cannot press pause, even when our world seemingly stops, you all continue to show up, including the ETF, who literally continued to serve in the hours following Marc’s death, despite the sorrow, the grief, the anger you all still reported for duty and continued to serve to our Toronto police officers.”

1:30 p.m. - ‘Marc represented excellence’: police chief

Demkiw began his remarks by underscoring Pinizzotto’s skill and what it meant to be a member of the Emergency Task Force.

“Marc represented excellence. The ETF is among the most highly trained and highly capable elite police units in the world. Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, they answer the most dangerous calls and undertake the most complex operations, they protect the public, and they protect our members. It is an extraordinary responsibility,” he said.

Created in 1965, the Emergency Task Force is a highly specialized 24/7 support unit within the Toronto Police Service, tasked with responding to high-risk emergency situations, search warrant execution, armed/barricaded persons and acts of terrorism.

Pinizzotto was selected to join the ETF in 2016, and served on Gun Team 1.

He transferred to the Toronto Police College Armament Section in 2020 where he supported specialized training for members across the Service, according to TPS. He returned to operational duties with the ETF in 2023, on Gun Team 2.

1:25 p.m. - Pinizzotto remembered by his nickname, ‘Pinner’

Master of ceremonies, Supt. Greg Watts, revealed that Pinizzotto was known lovingly by his nickname: “Pinner,” and explained that he would refer to him as such throughout the ceremony.

“‘Pinner’ is the man who was loved by all, the man his friends laughed with, the man his brothers in the ETF stood beside, and I think that matters,” Watts said.

1:20 p.m. - Pinizzotto’s family acknowledged

Pinizzoto’s family was acknowledged as the funeral got underway.

His wife, Andrea, his twin, 14-year-old children, Daniella and Domenic, his mother, Linda, his father, Leo, his brothers Steve, Jay and their families, and his brother-in-law Aaron and his family are all in attendance.

“Thank you for allowing us to stand beside you today. There are no words that can take away your pain, but I really hope that there is some comfort in seeing just how many people are here, because Mark meant so much to so many,” Watts said in his opening remarks.

1:10 p.m. - Pinizzotto’s casket arrives

Pinizzotto’s casket, draped in a Canadian flag, is carried in by the Chief’s Ceremonial Unit as bagpipes sound.

11:45 a.m. - Ford requests ‘urgent discussion’ on recent violence against police officers

Ford shared a letter he sent to the head of the Federation of Canada’s Premiers about what he called a “horrifying increase” in the number of police officers killed or wounded in the line of duty.

“These tragedies underscore the need for a serious national conversation about public safety, support for law enforcement and the growing risks faced by those who put themsevles in harm’s way every day,” he wrote in a letter to Prince Edward Island Premier and Federation Chair Rob Lantz.

Pinizzotto is the third police officer killed in Ontario in the line of duty in recent months. Two days before Pinizzotto was killed, OPP Const. Tarun Bali was killed in Hearst, Ont.

Another OPP officer, Const. Brandon Malcolm, was killed in a single-vehicle crash in Cobourg, Ont., in April.

On Monday, Montreal police officer Mohamed Lamine Benredouane, 34, was shot dead while responding to a 911 call about a shooter at a hotel.

11:30 a.m. - Funeral procession arrives in Etobicoke

The hearse carrying Pinizzotto’s body has arrived in Etobicoke ahead of this afternoon’s funeral service.

The thousands of officers in attendance observed a moment of silence as the procession passed by.

11 a.m. - Funeral speaker list released

A number of speakers will deliver remarks at Pinizzotto’s funeral, including Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw, and his children, Daniela and Domenic.

Pinizzotto’s Mother, Linda, and brothers, Jay and Steve, are also set to speak.

Sgt. Ken LeFort, a member of ETF Team 2 of which Pinizzotto was a part of, will deliver the eulogy.

10:45 a.m. - Thousands of officers marching to funeral

Thousands of police officers are now marching towards the funeral space.

The officers, from the Toronto Police Service and other forces across the Greater Toronto Area, began marching from a nearby muster point towards the funeral site at 10:30 a.m.

10:30 a.m. - Pinizzotto’s children to speak at funeral

CP24 has confirmed that Pinizzotto’s 14-year-old twin children, Daniella and Domenic, will speak at Wednesday’s service.

10 a.m. - Funeral procession underway

The hearse carrying Pinizzotto’s body has departed a funeral home in Thornhill and is now headed for Etobicoke.

The procession is scheduled to travel north on Yonge Street, before heading west on Highway 407, southbound on Highway 27, eastbound on Rexdale Boulevard and southbound on Martin Grove Road.

Road closures are in effect.

Members of the public can view the procession from the Highway 407 overpasses listed below.

9:45 a.m. – Thousands of officers to march

Toronto police said thousands of officers will march from the nearby CWENCH Centre at 1120 Martin Grove Road to the funeral site at 10:30 a.m.

Police said members will be positioned in the northbound lanes of Martin Grove to salute the funeral cortege as it passes.

9:30 a.m. - Toronto police thanks public for its support

In a tweet published Wednesday morning, the Toronto Police Service thanked the public for its support and condolences following Pinizzotto’s death.

9 a.m. – Public can view procession from these overpasses

While Wednesday’s funeral service is closed to the public, police say that individuals can view the procession on several Highway 407 overpasses, including:

• Bathurst Street
• Dufferin Street
• Keele Street
• Jane Street
• Weston Road
• Pine Valley Drive
• Islington Avenue

8:30 a.m. - Pinizzotto family shares photos with CP24

The Pinizzotto family provided CP24 with photos of Marc with his wife Andrea and their 14-year-old twin children, Daniella and Domenic.

Speaking exclusively to CP24, Insp. Peter Morris, the acting superintendent of the ETF, said Pinizzotto’s family are now an extension of the TPS family.

“Whatever we can do to support them, not only the guys on that team, but our unit as a whole, we will be there for them,” he said.

With files from CP24’s Beatrice Vaisman

8 a.m. – Road closures in effect for funeral procession

A number of road closures are now in effect ahead of the funeral procession’s departure from a funeral home in Thornhill.

The hearse carrying Pinizzotto’s body is scheduled to travel north on Yonge Street, before heading west on Highway 407, southbound on Highway 27, eastbound on Rexdale Boulevard and southbound on Martin Grove Road. The funeral will take place at the Toronto Congress Centre.

Martin Grove Road is closed from Dixon to Belfield roads and from Belfield Road to Bethridge Boulevard. Belfield Road is fully closed and limited or screened access from Highway 27 to Martin Grove and Kipling Avenue to Martin Grove is now in effect.

Highway 409’s east and west ramps to Martin Grove are closed, as is the Highway 401 westbound ramp to Martin Grove.

“Traffic control measures will be in effect to facilitate traffic flow in the area. We ask for your patience while you navigate around the closures,” police said in a news release.

The closures are expected to lift at 1 p.m. once the funeral gets underway.