Canadian authorities arrested on Sept. 19 a man who allegedly posted threats on an online message board to carry out a shooting at a synagogue in Durham Region, the Durham Regional Police Service (DRPS) said in a statement on Monday.
The Durham Region is a municipality situated east of Toronto.
The suspect, identified as 19-year-old Alexander Parfitt from Whitby, is facing charges of “Threats Motivated by Hate,” the statement read. Such an offense carries a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison.
Parfitt was held for a bail hearing, police said.
His arrest was made after members of the Hate Crime Unit received information from an external law-enforcement partner regarding his online posts.
DRPS further noted that it has increased patrols around Jewish places of worship and community-gathering locations across Durham Region for the Jewish holidays.
This incident comes on the backdrop of a shooting that took place outside the Sons of Jacob Synagogue in Belleville, Ontario, during Yom Kippur, resulting in the wounding of a police officer.
“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,” Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said following the attack.
The officer was in critical but stable condition as of Monday afternoon, according to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, which later identified the victim, citing investigators, as Const. Jeff Smith. The report named the suspected shooter as Sean Ward, 29, who sustained life-threatening injuries in an exchange of fire with police.
