A 29-year-old man armed with a shotgun opened fire on a police officer stationed outside an Ontario synagogue during Yom Kippur, triggering a shootout involving as many as 30 shots, the province’s police watchdog said Monday.
The gunfire left the man with life-threatening injuries and seriously wounded a veteran of the Belleville Police Service, whose condition had stabilized as he recovered in intensive care.
The gunfire left the man with life-threatening injuries and seriously wounded a veteran of the Belleville Police Service, whose condition had stabilized as he recovered in intensive care. The officer returned fire before a second officer arrived and also fired. Belleville police Deputy Chief Sheri Meeks identified the alleged shooter as Sean Ward, of the nearby city of Quinte West, and the officer as Const. No one inside was injured. “If this officer wasn’t there, I don’t know what could have happened. The SIU is investigating the actions of the officers, while Belleville police are conducting a parallel criminal investigation that will examine the man’s actions and possible motive.
The Special Investigations Unit said preliminary evidence showed the man arrived in a truck around 7 p.m. on Sunday and fired at an officer outside the Sons of Jacob Synagogue in Belleville, about 110 miles east of Toronto. Jeff Smith, a 13-year veteran of the force.
Lobel said a police officer eventually entered the synagogue and asked whether anyone had been hurt. “This officer was a hero who saved our lives,” Lobel said. Police have not established a motive or said whether the Sons of Jacob Synagogue or the Jewish community was targeted. Police increased patrols and their presence around places of worship but said there was no ongoing threat to public safety.
