A police officer was critically wounded and a suspected gunman left with life-threatening injuries after gunfire erupted outside the Sons of Jacob Synagogue in Belleville, Ontario, as Jews gathered for Yom Kippur services Sunday evening. According to Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit, a 29-year-old man armed with a shotgun opened fire on a police officer stationed near the synagogue shortly after 7 p.m. The officer returned fire, and a second officer also discharged his weapon. Investigators estimated that between 20 and 30 shots were fired.
WATCH: At least 1 officer shot as gunfire erupts at Sons of Jacob Synagogue in Belleville, Ontario, during Yom Kippur gathering pic.twitter.com/PiClWhbcbE
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Inside the synagogue, worshippers preparing to begin services heard the barrage and scrambled for cover. Synagogue president Norman Weddum said they rushed back into the sanctuary, shut the doors so they would not remain visible targets and dropped to the floor. The wounded officer was hospitalized in critical but stable condition, while the suspected gunman remained in life-threatening condition. Approximately two dozen people were reportedly inside the synagogue, and none were injured.
Two people, including a police officer, were injured in a shooting near a in Ontario during Yom Kippur services on Sunday evening.
Authorities have not confirmed that the synagogue or worshippers were the intended targets.
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Prime Minister Mark Carney said: “Jews must be able to pray safely. To live free, open, and proud Jewish lives. The Government of Canada will do everything in its power to support law enforcement and ensure the perpetrator faces the full severity of the law.”
Ontario Premier Doug Ford condemned the shooting and said Jews have the right to gather and worship without fear. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney likewise said Jewish Canadians must be able to worship safely and live openly and proudly as Jews.
The incident comes amid heightened security concerns for Canadian Jewish institutions. Synagogues in the Toronto area were struck by gunfire earlier this year, and Canadian authorities have increased security funding for religious institutions amid a broader rise in attacks targeting Jewish schools, synagogues, community centers and businesses.
Earlier this month, a Michigan synagogue reopened in time for the High Holidays, six months after it was targeted in a terror attack. Temple Israel in the Detroit area was attacked on March 12 when a 41-year-old man rammed his truck—loaded with fireworks and gasoline—deep into the building. The FBI classified it as “a violent crime targeting the Jewish community.”