Up to 30 shots fired near Belleville, Ont., synagogue as police faced gunman: SIU
Police said 30 shots were exchanged and the wounded officer faces a significant recovery after the attack outside the synagogue.
- On Sunday evening, 29-year-old Sean Ward opened fire at the Sons of Jacob Synagogue in Belleville during Yom Kippur services, triggering a firefight that left him hospitalized with life-threatening injuries and an officer in critical but stable condition.
- Services were beginning at the congregation, located about 110 miles east of Toronto, when the shooting occurred amid rising antisemitism across Canada following the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel.
- Ontario's Special Investigations Unit reported an exchange of 30 shots involving Const. Jeff Smith, a nearly 13-year veteran of the Belleville Police Service, with investigators finding dozens of bullet holes in nearby homes and vehicles.
- Prime Minister Mark Carney said his "thoughts are with the injured officer and his family, and the entire Jewish community," adding that Belleville had been "shaken" by the violence.
- Belleville Mayor Neil Ellis stated it is too early to classify the shooting as a hate crime, though the timing raised concerns; Deputy Police Chief Sheri Meeks confirmed increased patrols around places of worship with no ongoing public safety threat.
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109 Articles
Police officer shot while defending Canada synagogue from gunman on Yom Kippur
A police officer has been hailed as a hero after being shot while defending a synagogue in Ontario.Services were underway inside the Sons of Jacob Synagogue in Belleville when the a gunman opened fire outside during the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur.Up to 30 bullets were fired in the shoot-out just after 7pm, around 50 yards from the entrance to the synagogue, where officer Jeff Smith was stationed.The suspect has been named as Sean Ward, 29, of …
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Shooting near Eastern Ontario synagogue on Yom Kippur leaves police officer, suspect critically injured
A violence-marred start to Yom Kippur unfolded in eastern Ontario as a shootout near a local synagogue left a police officer in critical condition and a suspect with life-threatening injuries. Law enforcement officials said the incident took
Police constable protecting Yom Kippur worshippers shot in Belleville gunfight
A Belleville police officer stationed outside a synagogue to protect worshippers observing Yom Kippur was shot Sunday evening in an exchange of gunfire that investigators say may have involved as many as 20 to 30 shots.
Motive behind Ontario synagogue shooting attack not yet determined by Canadian police
A team of four investigators and two forensic investigators was assigned to the case, in which a police cruiser, other vehicles, and nearby homes were hit by up to 30-rounds of gunfire.
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