Ex-soldier shot dead outside Belleville synagogue on Yom Kippur, minister alarmed
Sean Ward, a former Canadian Armed Forces member, was killed in a shootout with police outside a Belleville, Ont., synagogue on Yom Kippur. Defence Minister McGuinty calls the case "very concerning."
Former CAF member dies after synagogue shooting on Yom Kippur
Defence Minister David McGuinty said Wednesday that the alleged role of a former soldier in Sunday's shooting outside a Belleville, Ontario, synagogue is "very concerning," ctvnews.ca reports.
Sean Ward, 29, a resident of nearby Quinte West, died in hospital on Monday after a shootout with police outside the Sons of Jacob synagogue. The incident took place as congregants had gathered inside for Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.
The Department of National Defence confirmed that Ward joined the Canadian Armed Forces in July 2017 and served with the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry without being deployed. He was released in June 2022, after approximately five years of service.
Citing anonymous military and National Defence sources, the Globe and Mail and Global News both reported that Ward was discharged from the army after refusing COVID-19 vaccination. One source also told Global News that Ward had voiced antisemitic conspiracies, though Belleville police have not publicly stated a motive for the attack.
McGuinty acknowledged Wednesday in Ottawa that the Canadian Armed Forces have been undergoing "culture changes" for a decade, including revised recruitment standards and an extended probationary period for new recruits. He said there have been "improvements" to military culture, but added that "there's always work to be done."
"The situation is a serious one, and we're taking it very seriously," McGuinty said.
The minister also extended his thoughts to the Belleville Jewish community and to Const. Jeff Smith, the police officer wounded in the shootout. Smith was taken to hospital in critical but stable condition. In a Facebook post shared by Belleville police, Smith's wife said he faces "a long and difficult road ahead," but that the family has been buoyed by an outpouring of public support.
Justice Minister Sean Fraser also spoke Wednesday, describing antisemitism as "a scourge upon our communities" and pointing to anti-hate legislation passed earlier this year as a key tool in addressing it.
"We're having conversations now about how we can bring together provinces and territories, so we're going to have a hand in the implementation of those laws, making sure that there's training for police officers on the ground, for prosecutors, for judges," Fraser said in Ottawa.
He stressed that newly adopted laws must be implemented with a full understanding of their importance across both law enforcement and the justice system.
The province's police watchdog has said an autopsy on Ward was scheduled for Wednesday. Belleville police have released no further details about his background beyond his age and place of residence.
With files from David Baxter in Ottawa. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 23, 2026.
Source: Google News CA — Crime (EN)