Live Update 
From the Liveblog of
Monday, September 21, 2026
From the Liveblog of
Monday, September 21, 2026
Suspect in Ontario synagogue shooting identified as Sean Ward, injured cop as Jeff Smith
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on Google
Police officers talk near the scene of a shooting where a police officer was shot outside a Yom Kippur gathering at Sons of Jacob Synagogue in Belleville, Ontario, Canada, September 21, 2026. (Patrick Doyle/Reuters)
The suspect in a shooting outside a synagogue in Belleville, Ontario, last night has been identified as Sean Ward, 29, according to Canada’s CTV News.
The outlet also identifies the police officer who was critically injured in the shooting as Jeff Smith, whom it says has been with the police for 13 years.
Ward is suspected of opening fire near the Sons of Jacob Synagogue in Belleville, about 110 miles east of Toronto, on Sunday night.
Authorities say he drove up in a truck, was stopped half a block from the synagogue, and opened fire. Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit said it would make sense to believe that the synagogue was deliberately targeted, but stressed that this was speculation.
If you’d like to comment, join
The Times of Israel Community.
The Times of Israel Community.
JOIN THE TOI COMMUNITY
Already a member? Log in here