Yom Kippur, the most sacred and solemn day in the Jewish calendar, began last night at sundown. In Ontario, Jews who had gathered to mark the holy day were targeted after a yet-unnamed suspect opened fire outside Jacob Synagogue in Belleville.
A police officer and the suspect were both shot; no one inside the synagogue was hurt but services were canceled.
BREAKING: A police officer was shot outside of a synagogue in Ontario, Canada, on Sunday night, as Jewish community members were gathered to mark Yom Kippur, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said.https://t.co/CudZpI2cUw
— ABC News (@ABC) September 21, 2026
A police officer was shot outside of a synagogue in Ontario, Canada, on Sunday night, as Jewish community members were gathered to mark Yom Kippur, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said.
Ford condemned the incident, which occurred outside of the Sons of Jacob Synagogue in Belleview, Ontario, and called for everyone responsible to be arrested and fully prosecuted.
Belleview Police said the officer encountered an individual in the area of Bleecker Avenue and Victoria Avenue around 7 p.m.
The officer and the individual sustained injuries and were transported to hospital, Belleville Police said.
Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU), the province’s civilian police watchdog, is investigating, according to police.
The SIU said the officer was injured and the other individual is in life-threatening condition.
The Ontario Special Investigations Unit (SIU) issued a statement on X about the shooting and its investigation, including that the suspect's injuries are "life-threatening."
The SIU has invoked its mandate after an exchange of gunfire near the Sons of Jacob synagogue in Belleville this evening. Early info: man in hospital in life threatening condition and @BLVLPolice officer injured by gunfire. Investigators en route to scene. More info to follow.
— Special Investigations Unit (@SIUOntario) September 21, 2026
Ontario Premier said he was "disgusted" by the attack.
I’m disgusted by the shooting that took place outside the Sons of Jacob Synagogue in Belleville earlier this evening as Jewish community members gathered to mark Yom Kippur.
— Doug Ford (@fordnation) September 21, 2026
My thoughts are with the Jewish community in Belleville and across Ontario, who have every right to…
"My thoughts are with the Jewish community in Belleville and across Ontario, who have every right to gather and worship safely and without fear. I expect that all those responsible are arrested and prosecuted to the full extent of the law," Ford wrote. "My thoughts are also with the police officer who was shot, along with their family and loved ones. We owe an immense debt of gratitude to this brave officer and to all the first responders who acted so quickly to keep the community safe."
Former MP Ryan Williams shared an image of the synagogue's stained glass window with bullet holes in it.
The Sons of Jacob Synagogue in Belleville was shot at tonight while worshippers gathered for Yom Kippur. This was a photo sent to me by a worshipper.
— Ryan Williams 🇨🇦 | The Competition Guy (@Ryan_r_Williams) September 21, 2026
An officer was on duty and is being called a hero.
This is disgraceful.
No Jewish person in Belleville should ever have to fear… pic.twitter.com/1xQOl489QA
"No Jewish person in Belleville should ever have to fear walking into their synagogue. No family should have to wonder whether they are safe while worshipping," he wrote. "To Belleville’s Jewish community: we stand with you tonight. You deserve to feel safe here.And to the officer who put himself in harm’s way protecting others: thank you."
Photos from the scene show what appears to be a civilian truck parked on the sidewalk. To the South of it, a Belleville Police F150 with the passenger side covered in bullet holes parked next to Sons of Jacob Synagogue. #Belleville https://t.co/z4qT8gQEUc pic.twitter.com/FFRdUY11vB
— JCE (@JCEPhoto) September 21, 2026
Horrifying images.
Canada, the place that used to be safe.
— Michelle Leahy Ferreri (@mferreriptbokaw) September 21, 2026
Since Liberals took office in 2015:
• Police-reported hate crimes targeting Jewish Canadians rose 343%
• Jewish Canadians are roughly 1% of our population
• Yet they were targeted in 71% of religion-motivated hate crimes in 2025 https://t.co/cnXfg9erLE
This is what "globalize the intifada" looks like.
Synagogue president Norm Weddum spoke to local media about the attack and said that the synagogue had hired police for security. "We were starting to usher people into the sanctuary and that’s when we heard the first shots. It was bang, bang, bang, bang. Then it happened again. A few of us went out into the lobby, and that’s where the shots were continuing and they were very distinct," Weddum said.
He also said this was a targeted attack.
"He was targeting Jewish people in the synagogue," Weddum said. "That's what it boils down to. You're not walking down Victoria Street on a Sunday stroll carrying a rifle in front of a synagogue."
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