Synagogue shooting suspect Sean Ward dead after Belleville, Ont. attack on Yom Kippur

Sean Ward, 29, who opened fire on a police officer outside a Belleville synagogue during Yom Kippur services, has died in a Kingston hospital. The injured officer remains in stable condition.

Belleville synagogue shooter dies in Kingston hospital after Yom Kippur attack

Sean Ward, 29, the man accused of opening fire on a Belleville police officer outside Sons of Jacob Synagogue during Yom Kippur services on Sunday night, has died in a Kingston hospital, Ontario's Special Investigations Unit (SIU) confirmed Monday night, according to cbc.ca.

Ward, a resident of neighbouring Quinte West, had been in life-threatening condition following the shootout before his death was announced. SIU spokesperson Kristy Denette said he was transported to Kingston, where he later succumbed to his injuries.

The attack took place as worshippers observed Yom Kippur — one of the most sacred days in the Jewish calendar — inside the synagogue. Ward allegedly opened fire on Const. Jeff Smith using a shotgun. A second Belleville officer also discharged their weapon during the exchange. The ensuing gunfire left dozens of bullet holes in nearby homes, vehicles and one of the synagogue's street-facing stained-glass windows, Denette said.

Smith had been parked outside Sons of Jacob in an unmarked police car at the request of the synagogue's president. He suffered serious injuries in the shootout and was transferred to an intensive care unit. The SIU confirmed Tuesday that he remains in stable condition.

A spokesperson for the Department of National Defence said Tuesday that Ward had joined the Canadian Armed Forces in July 2017, serving as an infantry soldier with Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry. He held the rank of corporal when he was released in June 2022, without having been deployed.

Belleville police Deputy Chief Sheri Meeks said her department would not be issuing further updates on its own investigation while the SIU conducts a parallel inquiry, narrowly focused on the circumstances that led Smith and the second officer to open fire.

Whether Ward was targeting Const. Smith specifically, Sons of Jacob, or Belleville's broader Jewish community remains unclear. An SIU spokesperson confirmed that Belleville police will be examining Ward's motives as part of the ongoing investigation.

Source: Google News CA — Crime (EN)