Gunman who fired on police outside Canada synagogue dies of gunfight wounds
29-year-old shot by police during exchange of fire in which he injured officer; investigators yet to officially confirm if Jewish community was target of attack
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The gunman who was shot by Canadian police after firing on officers outside a synagogue at the start of Yom Kippur on Sunday evening has died, an official said Tuesday.
The 29-year-old man carrying a shotgun approached a synagogue in Belleville, a city in southeastern Ontario, as worshipers gathered to mark the holiest day of the Jewish calendar.
He shot at police, prompting officers guarding the Sons of Jacob congregation to return fire.
The man was hospitalized after the shooting and died on Monday night, said Kristy Dennette, a spokesperson for Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit, which probes shootings involving police.
Dennette told AFP an injured officer remains in stable condition in the hospital.
At a press conference on Monday, Belleville’s deputy police chief Sheri Meeks identified the shooter as Sean Ward, from the neighboring city of Quinte West, and the injured officer as Constable Jeff Smith.
Police have not confirmed that Belleville’s Jewish community was the target of the attack, but Dennette told reporters that “common sense” would suggest the gunman was trying to attack the synagogue.
Prime Minister Mark Carney and Ontario Premier Doug Ford both condemned the shooting.
Like many Western countries, Canada has seen a rise in reported incidents of antisemitism over the last three years amid criticism of Israel’s response to the October 7, 2023, Hamas terror onslaught.
Sunday’s shooting comes months after Carney warned that Canada was failing its Jewish community amid a surge in antisemitism.
Carney cited shootings at Jewish schools, firebombings of synagogues and attacks on community centers and Jewish-owned businesses. His government announced millions in additional funding to help faith-based institutions pay for security infrastructure, training and personnel.
Synagogues in the Toronto area have also previously been targeted by gunfire. In March, shots damaged the entrances of synagogues in Vaughan and Toronto. No one was injured. Police later arrested three suspects in connection with those shootings.
The Times of Israel Community.