Police officers in Belleville, Ontario, confirmed on Thursday the recent shooting at a local synagogue was a “hate-motivated crime,” providing further details on the incident during a press conference.
On Sunday night, a man ambushed and opened fire against a policeman near the Sons of Jacob synagogue in Belleville, leaving Constable Jeff Smith critically injured. The perpetrator, left injured during the shootout, reportedly died from his wounds at a local hospital on Monday night.
The gunfire exchange occurred while the Jewish community celebrated Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year in Judaism. It is reportedly understood that about two dozen individuals were inside the synagogue when the shootout occurred — none of whom received any injuries.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Belleville Police Chief Murray Rodd identified the shooter as 29-year-old Sean Ward of Quinte West, Ontario. Ward, the police chief detailed, served in the Canadian Armed Forces from 2017 to 2022.
A SIU officer takes photos of a shotgun used by the alleged shooter outside of the Sons of Jacob Synagogue where a man armed with a shotgun exchanged gun fire with a police officer stationed outside of the Synagogue late Sunday evening as people were arriving for Yom Kippur. (Nick Lachance/Toronto Star via Getty Images)
Rodd detailed that Ward has the “means and motive” to carry out a “mass casualty” hate-motivated attack directed at the Jewish community. The police chief detailed that Ward used a shogun, but had “other resources” at his disposal, including a “significant amount” of ammunition on him and combustible materials stored on his vehicle.
According to Canadian outlets, footage of the Sunday shootout was shown to reporters on, in which Ward can be heard screaming “You are going to die for the Jews.”
“The loss of life and irreversible damage that could have rippled through our community for generations cannot be overstated,” Rodd said, stressing,
The police chief explained that Const. Smith confronted the shooter despite being injured while another officer put his life at risk in the shootout.
“The only thing that stopped entry into the synagogue to execute the intent were the two officers,” Rodd emphasized, detailing that Const. Smith will require multiple surgeries related to head trauma.
“Today we joined Belleville Police in solidarity as they confirmed that the violent shooting at a Belleville synagogue was a deliberate attack targeting the Jewish community. Our thoughts are with the community, the two officers who disrupted the attack, one who remains in hospital with serious injuries, and with our policing family,” the Toronto Police force said in a Thursday statement.
“Fear and uncertainty in Jewish communities is real. The Toronto Police Service remains vigilant and is maintaining high visibility and patrols around synagogues, schools, and other places of worship,” the text continued.
The Toronto officers detailed that while there is “no known threat” at the time, “hate and violent extremism are concerns across Canada.”
“We will continue to work with our policing and government partners to proactively identify and address threats of violent extremism,” the statement concluded.
Per ABC, the synagogue’s president Norman Weddum said that the congregation plans to reopen its doors soon. Like the Canadian police force, Weddum stated that he believes the shooter had the means to kill all those gathered inside “and possibly destroy” the synagogue.
The events come amid concerns of rising antisemitism across Canada. The Globe and Mail reports that Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree and Justice Minister Sean Fraser presented a joint report on Thursday on the “progress” made to combat antisemitism in the country.
“The Government of Canada recognizes that antisemitism can also be a matter of national security,” the report read in part. “Beyond the direct harm it causes to Jewish individuals and communities, antisemitism is a core component of many violent extremist ideologies. It can contribute to radicalization and violence, and threatens social cohesion and democratic values.”