Police officer and man injured in gunfire near Belleville synagogue during Yom Kippur gathering

A police officer and a man were wounded in an exchange of gunfire on Sunday evening near the Sons of Jacob Synagogue in Belleville, Ontario, while the Jewish community was marking Yom Kippur, authorities said. The incident occurred at about 7:10 p.m., and both individuals were taken to hospital, with the man listed in life-threatening condition.

The province’s Special Investigations Unit, which handles serious police-involved incidents, dispatched investigators to the scene. Belleville police have not disclosed the motive for the shooting or confirmed whether the synagogue was the target, but they said there was no ongoing public safety risk and asked the public to avoid the area while the investigation continues.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford expressed condemnation of the incident, stating he was "disgusted" by the shooting and emphasizing that Jewish people have the right to worship without fear. He called for the perpetrators to be arrested and prosecuted and offered thoughts to the injured officer and his family.

York Regional Police indicated no known threat in the region but warned residents to expect heightened patrols around places of worship. The shooting follows earlier incidents in the province, including gunfire at synagogues in Vaughan and Toronto in March and a series of antisemitic attacks cited by the federal government earlier this year.