A police officer was wounded in a shooting outside the Sons of Jacob Synagogue in Belleville, Ontario, on the eve of Yom Kippur, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney confirmed on Monday.
“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,” said Carney.
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.
The incident reportedly occurred around 7 p.m. as Jews gathered for prayer services on their holiest day of the year.
“This vile antisemitic violence in Canada must end, and this Liberal government must act now to protect our people,” said Canadian Opposition and Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre on Monday.
“Jewish Canadians must once again be able to live in their communities and pray in their places of worship without fear of being shot at or attacked,” he added.
The synagogue’s president, Norman Weddum, told the CBC on Monday that the officer had been stationed outside the building in an unmarked car.
“It was boom, boom, boom,” he was quoted as saying. “So that’s when we ran back into the auditorium of the synagogue, closed the doors behind us so as to not leave a visible target and we hit the floor.”
Ontario Premier Doug Ford said on Monday he was “disgusted” by the shooting and that his thoughts were with the Jewish community in Belleville, “who have every right to gather and worship safely and without fear.”
“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,” he added.
