Belleville Police Chief Confirms Synagogue Shooting Was Hate-Motivated Attack
Belleville police Chief Murray Rodd confirmed that the shooting near the Sons of Jacob Synagogue was a deliberate, hate-motivated attack targeting the Jewish community. The gunman, Sean Ward, died after a shootout with police, while Constable Jeff Smith suffered multiple gunshot wounds and requires surgery.
Belleville police Chief Murray Rodd has confirmed that the shooting incident near the Sons of Jacob Synagogue on Sunday was a deliberate, hate-motivated attack directed at members of the Jewish community. The gunman, identified as Sean Ward, died following a confrontation with police.
Ward, a resident of Quinte West—the city adjacent to Belleville—was a former member of the Canadian Armed Forces who had been released in 2022 without having been deployed. According to police, Ward possessed multiple weapons and significant ammunition, giving him the means to cause mass casualties. Audio evidence presented at a news conference captured the gunman yelling, "You are going to die for the Jews," followed by gunshots.
During the incident, Constable Jeff Smith was shot multiple times in the head and body. He is expected to undergo multiple surgeries for head trauma but is reportedly making progress. Constable Michael McCurdy joined the active gunfight between Smith and Ward without hesitation and was not injured.
Ontario Solicitor General Michael Kerzner condemned the act as antisemitic, stating that it crossed a "line of decency." Kerzner noted that no lives were lost inside the synagogue itself. The investigation into the incident is being handled by Ontario's Special Investigations Unit (SIU).