Ex-CAF soldier dies after shooting police officer outside Belleville synagogue on Yom Kippur

Sean Ward, 29, died in hospital Monday after exchanging gunfire with police outside a Belleville, Ont. synagogue. A police officer was critically wounded in the attack.

Ex-soldier dies after Yom Kippur synagogue shooting in Belleville, Ont.

Sean Ward, a 29-year-old former Canadian Armed Forces corporal from Quinte West, has died after being shot by police outside Sons of Jacob Synagogue in Belleville, Ontario, on Sunday night — as congregants inside were preparing to mark Yom Kippur, ctvnews.ca reports.

Ward arrived in the area by truck and opened fire on a police officer stationed outside the synagogue, according to investigators. Police returned fire, striking Ward, who was found without vital signs at the scene before being revived and rushed to hospital in life-threatening condition. He died Monday night. An autopsy has been scheduled for Wednesday in Kingston, Ont., the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) confirmed to CP24.

Const. Jeff Smith, a 13-year veteran of the Belleville Police Service, was critically injured in the exchange. Sources tell CP24 that Smith was shot multiple times, including in the neck, and remained in hospital in stable condition as of Tuesday.

The SIU has estimated that 20 to 30 shots were fired at the scene. Members of the Sons of Jacob congregation said some of those shots shattered stained-glass windows inside the building.

Military background confirmed

In a statement provided to CTV News on Tuesday, a Canadian Armed Forces spokesperson confirmed that a former member matches the description of the suspect. Ward enrolled in the military in July 2017 and was released in June 2022 at the rank of corporal.

"He served as an infantry soldier with the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry and did not deploy during his service," the spokesperson said. "We remain ready to provide assistance to the investigation if required."

Police identified Ward on Monday but have not publicly provided further details, citing the ongoing SIU investigation.

SIU does not rule out terrorism

While police have not formally commented on a motive, SIU spokesperson Kristy Denette did not push back when a reporter suggested the incident could fit the description of a terrorist attack.

"I think that common sense would say that probably was the case," Denette said Monday.

Community shaken, consul general visits synagogue

Nadav Zysblat, the consul general of Israel to Toronto and Western Canada, visited the synagogue on Tuesday and spoke with community members.

"They're seeing levels of antisemitism in Canada that we haven't seen before, and this is extremely concerning," Zysblat told CP24. "We call upon the Canadian government to take all the measures to make sure that any Canadian feels safe; that includes, of course, the Jewish community in Canada."

He added that decisive action — not words alone — was needed to ensure the shooting marked a turning point.

Norm Weddum, president of the congregation, returned to the synagogue for the first time since the shooting and described seeing the bullet holes in the stained glass as "surreal."

"It's kind of strange actually coming back in. But we are glad to be back in," he said.

Weddum recounted hearing loud bangs during the service, closing the wooden doors when he realized they were gunshots, and crouching down until the shooting stopped. He said the congregation was later taken to the police station, where they held an improvised service.

"We moved the tables and chairs over together there, and we all sat there, and we had a bit of a service with the rabbi and did some hymns and songs," Weddum said. "It kind of brought people closer together after a traumatic event."

Calls for increased security at Jewish institutions

Ontario Premier Doug Ford, reacting to the shooting on Monday, called Const. Smith a "hero" who "stopped a tragedy in its footsteps."

Richard Marceau, Senior Vice President of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, told CP24 on Tuesday that the incident underscores the need for dedicated security resources at Jewish institutions.

"Words are not enough," Marceau said. "We need to convene a meeting of federal, provincial, territorial and municipal leaders to make sure that there's intelligence sharing, that the law is properly enforced and there needs to be an expedited way to get Jewish institutions like synagogues, community centres and schools to have access to off-duty armed police officers to protect our institutions."

Marceau pointed to the two officers stationed outside the synagogue as critical to preventing a larger tragedy.

With files from CP24's Beatrice Vaisman.

Source: Google News CA — Crime (EN)