Officer, man wounded in shooting near Ontario synagogue on Yom Kippur
Gunfire sprayed through the synogogue's stained glass windows, left more than 20 bullet holes behind
A police officer and a 29-year-old man were wounded Sunday evening in an exchange of gunfire near the Sons of Jacob Synagogue in Belleville, Ontario, as congregants gathered to mark Yom Kippur. The man was hospitalized in life-threatening condition; the officer was listed in critical but stable condition.
Belleville police said the officer, parked in an unmarked vehicle, encountered the individual near the synagogue around 7:10 p.m. Ontario's Special Investigations Unit said the incident involved a man with a rifle and sent investigators to the scene. Police have not said what led to the shooting or whether the synagogue was targeted, and said there was no risk to public safety.
Synagogue president Norm Weddum said he was ushering people in when he heard shots. "We all ran back, I closed the doors of the auditorium, and I yelled out 'everybody get down,'" he said. Worshipers crouched on the floor for what felt like ten minutes as bullets sprayed through the room, some calling 911, he said. "We are all upset, but it's not going to deter us. We will reopen, and we will have services again."
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Ontario Premier Doug Ford posted twice in response to the shooting. "I'm disgusted by the shooting that took place outside the Sons of Jacob Synagogue in Belleville earlier this evening as Jewish community members gathered to mark Yom Kippur." In a separate post, Ford said, "We owe an immense debt of gratitude to this brave officer and to all the first responders who acted so quickly to keep the community safe."
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Prime Minister Mark Carney also responded, writing, "Jewish people must be able to worship safely. To live free, open, proud Jewish lives. Canada's government will do everything in our power to support law enforcement in ensuring that the perpetrator is held accountable to the fullest extent of the law." Carney added that his thoughts were with the injured officer, his family, and the Jewish community.
York Regional Police and Toronto Police said they had no known threats in their regions, but patrols would increase at places of worship. The shooting follows months of warnings from Carney that Canada is failing its Jewish community amid rising antisemitism, and comes after gunfire damaged two Toronto-area synagogues in March.