Police: Gunman Shouted Antisemitic Threat Before Ontario Synagogue Attack

Police have stated that a former Canadian soldier shouted an antisemitic threat before opening fire on a police officer outside an Ontario synagogue during Yom Kippur, declaring the attack was motivated by hate.

Belleville Police Chief Murray Rodd disclosed the alleged words of 29-year-old Sean Ward as police for the first time publicly identified a motive for Sunday’s attack outside the Sons of Jacob Synagogue. "Make no mistake, this was a targeted attack against the Jewish community," Rodd said. "The suspect had the means, the motive and the mechanisms to cause a mass casualty."

Police played audio during a news conference that they said captured Ward shouting the threat before opening fire on Const. Jeff Smith, who was stationed outside the synagogue. Rodd said Smith was shot before exiting his vehicle but still confronted the attacker, remaining engaged in the gunfight for nearly three minutes despite sustaining multiple gunshot wounds to the head and body. A second officer, Const. Michael McCurdy, arrived and joined the exchange of fire.

Rodd stated that the two officers prevented Ward from entering the synagogue and carrying out what police described as a potential mass killing. He added that Ward had multiple weapons, a significant amount of ammunition, and gasoline available to him.

Approximately two dozen people were inside the synagogue observing Yom Kippur, the holiest day on the Jewish calendar, and none were injured. Ward was critically wounded and died the following day. Smith, a 13-year veteran of the Belleville Police Service, faces multiple surgeries and a lengthy recovery from gunshot wounds, fractures, and shrapnel injuries, Rodd said.

The Department of National Defense confirmed Ward served as an infantry soldier before leaving the Canadian Armed Forces in 2022. Documents obtained by The Canadian Press indicate Ward had joined a lawsuit challenging the military’s COVID-19 vaccination mandate, citing financial losses after refusing vaccination on religious grounds and subsequent release from service.

Investigators are also examining materials found in Ward’s vehicle, including extra gasoline, to determine the extent of damage he may have intended to cause, Rodd said. The province’s police watchdog previously reported that as many as 30 shots were fired, striking nearby vehicles and homes.

Synagogue president Norman Weddum expressed that Ward had the capacity to kill those inside and potentially destroy the synagogue. He indicated that the congregation plans to reopen soon.

The attack occurs amid heightened concerns about antisemitism in Canada. Ontario Solicitor General Michael Kerzner, the province’s public safety minister, stated the attack affected him personally as a Jewish Canadian and praised the community’s response, including leaders from a nearby mosque bringing flowers to the Sons of Jacob Synagogue in solidarity. "We will never normalize antisemitism or hate of any kind," Kerzner said.