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Belleville synagogue shooting: Suspect and officer injured in shootout
A shooting occurred outside the Sons of Jacob Synagogue in Belleville, Ontario, during Yom Kippur services. The suspect, identified as 29-year-old Sean Ward, allegedly opened fire with a shotgun, wounding Constable Jeff Smith, who was stationed outside the building for protection. Ward died in the hospital following a shootout with police.
Investigations are ongoing by the Belleville Police Service and Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU). The synagogue characterized the event as a targeted attack against the Jewish community.
Ward was a former member of the Canadian Armed Forces, having served from 2017 to 2022. Reports indicate he was released from the military following a refusal to receive COVID-19 vaccinations. Defence Minister David McGuinty expressed concern regarding the suspect's military background, while Justice Minister Sean Fraser addressed the incident in the context of rising antisemitism.
Entities
Bnei Yaakov Synagogue · Canadian Armed Forces · David McGuinty · Jeff Smith · Sean Ward · Sons of Jacob Synagogue
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 2 SOURCES] The suspect had reportedly voiced antisemitic conspiracies. www.brandonsun.com · www.narcity.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] Sean Ward served in the Canadian Armed Forces from July 2017 until June 2022. lapaginajudia.com · www.brandonsun.com · www.narcity.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The synagogue described the incident as a targeted attack against the Jewish community. ca.news.yahoo.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The Special Investigations Unit is investigating the officer-involved shooting. ca.news.yahoo.com
- [● 4 SOURCES] Constable Jeff Smith was critically injured during the exchange of gunfire. lapaginajudia.com · toronto.citynews.ca · ca.news.yahoo.com · www.narcity.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] Sean Ward opened fire on Constable Jeff Smith with a shotgun during a shootout near a synagogue. lapaginajudia.com · toronto.citynews.ca · ca.news.yahoo.com
- [● 4 SOURCES] The suspect, 29-year-old Sean Ward of Quinte West, died in the hospital following the shootout. lapaginajudia.com · toronto.citynews.ca · ca.news.yahoo.com · www.narcity.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] Ward was reportedly released from the military after refusing COVID-19 vaccinations. www.brandonsun.com · www.narcity.com