Ontario officer continues to confront gunman after being shot multiple times
Constable Jeff Smith was wounded by a shotgun during an attempted attack on a Belleville synagogue but kept the shooter at bay until backup arrived, police said.
Constable Jeff Smith was shot several times with a shotgun as he tried to leave his vehicle near the Sons of Jacob Synagogue in Belleville, Ontario, on Sunday. Despite head and torso injuries, he continued to engage the gunman until fellow officer Constable Mike McCury arrived about three minutes later, police chief Murray Rodd said at a news conference.
"Despite suffering life-threatening injuries, within moments of encountering the armed suspect, Constable Smith exited his vehicle and engaged the attacker," Rodd said.
The police chief said the officers' actions prevented the gunman from entering the synagogue and averted a potential mass-casualty event. Smith remains hospitalized with serious head trauma, bone fractures and shrapnel, and will undergo multiple surgeries. His recovery is expected to be lengthy but he is making daily progress, Rodd added.
The suspect, 29-year-old Sean Ward of Quinte West, was also injured in the exchange and later died from his wounds. Authorities described the incident as a hate-motivated crime targeting the Jewish community during Yom Kippur. Ward was reported to have been carrying several firearms, ammunition and gasoline containers, which could have enabled a prolonged attack.