A police officer was wounded in a shooting near a synagogue in Belleville, Ont., during a gathering Sunday night to mark Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar.
A 29-year-old man armed with a shotgun was also injured in the gunfire and is in hospital in life-threatening condition, according to a statement from the Special Investigations Unit, which handles cases involving police that result in death or serious injury. The Belleville Police Service officer is in “critical-stable condition,” the agency said.
Prime Minister Mark Carney condemned the shooting, which happened near the Sons of Jacob Synagogue in Belleville, as an alleged attack targeting the Jewish community.
“Jewish people must be able to worship safely. To live free, open, proud Jewish lives,” he said in a statement on Monday. “Canada’s government will do everything in our power to support law enforcement in ensuring that the perpetrator is held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
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Premier Doug Ford said he was “disgusted” by the shooting and thanked the “brave officer” and other first responders for keeping the community safe.
“My thoughts are with the Jewish community in Belleville and across Ontario, who have every right to gather and worship safely and without fear,” he said in a statement.
The Belleville Police Service said the incident happened around 7:10 p.m. near Bleecker Avenue and Victoria Avenue. “There is no risk to public safety,” the department said in a statement on social media on Sunday night.
The SIU is investigating the shooting and is urging anyone with information about the incident to contact the agency.