Ontario Jewish community saddened, but not shocked, by synagogue shooting

On the eve of Yom Kippur, Sunday, a shooting occurred outside the Sons of Jacob synagogue in Belleville, Ontario, involving a former Canadian soldier, Sean Ward, 29, and Const. Jeff Smith, a 13-year veteran police officer. Ward died from his wounds, and Smith remains in critical condition. Congregants, like Doug Warren, expressed sadness but not shock, stating, "We knew this was going to happen." The community is grateful to Officer Smith, whom Warren called "a hero," believing the gunman intended to attack those inside the synagogue. Richard Marceau of The Center for Israel and Jewish Affairs noted a broader failure to address rising antisemitism in Canada, linking it to anti-Israel and anti-Zionist discourse. Despite the incident, the Sons of Jacob congregation gathered for services at a hotel, with Warren affirming, "This will not stop us."