A shooting outside the Sons of Jacob Synagogue in Belleville, Ontario, on Sunday evening—the eve of Yom Kippur—left the local Jewish community shaken but potentially spared from a far worse tragedy due to a timely police presence. Witnesses described hearing approximately 30 gunshots, 23 of which struck the synagogue’s stained glass windows.

Douglas Lobel, a congregant attending the service with about two dozen people, said the attack “definitely would have been a massacre” if police had not been on site. Norm Weddum, the synagogue’s president, discovered the shooting outside and quickly alerted those inside. Lobel indicated the group believes the synagogue was the intended target, given the timing and congregation, but said the investigation remains ongoing.

The primary suspect, 29-year-old Sean Ward, and a responding officer, Constable Jeff Smith, were both injured and hospitalized. Smith remains in critical but stable condition, and Ward is listed in life-threatening condition.

In response to the incident, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs and the Jewish Federations of Canada issued a joint statement linking the attack to anti-Zionist sentiments, claiming such rhetoric fosters violence against Jewish Canadians. The groups called on governments to recognize anti-Zionism as a driver of antisemitism, arguing that the demonization or delegitimization of Israel contributes to hostility targeting Jewish communities. “Jewish Canadians should not need armed police outside their synagogues simply to pray safely,” the statement said.

The Conference of Presidents, a U.S.-based umbrella organization for Jewish groups, urged leaders in Canada and globally to address antisemitism and extremist violence “with urgency before more lives are lost.”

This shooting comes amid heightened concern over antisemitic incidents in Canada. Earlier this year, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney acknowledged that the country was failing to protect its Jewish community amid a surge in such attacks, including violence directed at Jewish schools, synagogues, community centers, and businesses. His government subsequently pledged additional funding to enhance security infrastructure and training for faith-based groups.

Incidents targeting synagogues are not new to the region. In March, gunfire damaged entrances of synagogues in Vaughan and Toronto, though no injuries were reported. Police arrested three suspects in connection with those shootings. Toronto Police have since increased patrols and security at places of worship as a precaution, despite no known connections to the Belleville attack.

A report by B’nai Brith Canada earlier this year documented a record 6,800 anti-Jewish incidents nationwide in 2025—more than twice the number recorded before October 7, 2023, and a nine percent increase from 2024—highlighting a broader climate of rising antisemitism in the country.