Officer Wounded in Shooting Outside Ontario Synagogue on Yom Kippur

WHO:

[07:58 AM EDT] - CBS News - Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow condemned the violence, stating, "Jewish Torontonians should not need police presence to observe Yom Kippur, or to simply live their day-to-day lives."

CNN - A police officer was involved in a shooting near the Sons of Jacob Synagogue.

CNN - Ontario Premier Doug Ford commented on the incident, expressing gratitude to the officer and first responders.

ABC News - The officer was part of the Belleville Police Service.

WHAT:

ABC News - The officer and the man were wounded in an exchange of gunfire near the synagogue, with the man hospitalized in life-threatening condition.

CNN - Authorities are expected to hold a press conference from the scene at 11 a.m. Monday.

CNN - The president of Sons of Jacob synagogue, Norm Weddum, stated that the officer saved the lives of everyone inside the synagogue, which had been "riddled with bullets."

CNN - Weddum described hearing a series of bangs as he ushered people into the sanctuary, stating, "That’s when we heard it again –– ‘bang, bang, bang’ and they were very loud this time so we realized it was definitely shots being fired."

CNN - Weddum said bullets sprayed through the stained glass windows and across the room as worshipers crouched on the floor in fear, some calling 911.

ABC News - The officer and the man were wounded in an exchange of gunfire near the synagogue, with the man hospitalized in life-threatening condition.

CNN - The officer was hired to protect the congregation that day and was parked nearby in an unmarked vehicle when he made contact with the shooter.

CNN - The synagogue's president, Norm Weddum, described the moment he heard gunfire, stating, "We all ran back, I closed the doors of the auditorium and I yelled out ‘everybody get down.’"

CNN - Weddum reported that there were over 20 bullet holes in the synagogue's windows.

ABC News - The man involved in the shooting was hospitalized in life-threatening condition.

CNN - Authorities are expected to hold a press conference from the scene at 11 a.m. Monday.

IJR - Photos show more than a dozen bullet holes in stained glass at the synagogue.

[07:58 AM EDT] - CBS News - The Special Investigations Unit, the civilian agency that investigates serious incidents involving police, sent investigators to the scene of the shooting.

CNN - The president of Sons of Jacob synagogue, Norm Weddum, stated that the officer saved the lives of everyone inside the synagogue, which had been "riddled with bullets."

CNN - Weddum described hearing a series of gunshots and said, “We were on the floor for what felt like ten minutes of gunfire but in reality, it was a few minutes. There were over 20 bullet holes in our windows.”

ABC News - Ontario Premier Doug Ford noted that the shooting occurred as people gathered for Yom Kippur, expressing his disgust and stating, “Jewish people have every right to gather and worship safely and without fear.”

ABC News - The man involved in the shooting was hospitalized in life-threatening condition.

ABC News - Ontario Premier Doug Ford expressed his disgust over the shooting, stating, "I’m disgusted by the shooting that took place outside the Sons of Jacob Synagogue in Belleville earlier this evening as Jewish community members gathered to mark Yom Kippur."

ABC News - Ford called for those responsible for the shooting to be arrested and prosecuted.

CNN - A police officer was shot while encountering an individual near the synagogue.

CNN - Both the officer and the individual sustained injuries and were transported to the hospital.

CNN - No one inside the synagogue was injured, but all Yom Kippur services were canceled.

WHERE:

CNN - The shooting occurred near Bleecker Avenue and Victoria Avenue in Belleville, Ontario.

ABC News - Belleville is approximately 110 miles east of Toronto.

WHEN:

CNN - The incident occurred on Yom Kippur, which is the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.

WHY:

ABC News - The shooting comes months after Prime Minister Mark Carney warned that Canada was failing its Jewish community amid a surge in antisemitism, citing various attacks on Jewish institutions.

CNN - The reason for the officer's presence in the area and the circumstances of the shooting remain unknown.

HOW:

ABC News - Weddum stated, "I could say, 'Oh, this is definitely someone … shooting here,'" as he ushered people into the sanctuary.

CNN - The synagogue's president, Norm Weddum, described the moment he heard gunfire, saying, "I could say, 'Oh, this is definitely someone … shooting here.'"

[07:58 AM EDT] - CBS News - The synagogue's president, Norman Weddum, described the moment he heard gunfire, saying, "I could say, 'Oh, this is definitely someone … shooting here.'"

CNN - Weddum revealed that the officer had been hired to protect the congregation that day and was parked nearby in an unmarked vehicle when he made contact with the shooter.

ABC News - The Special Investigations Unit, a civilian agency, sent investigators to the scene of the shooting.

CNN - York Regional Police announced they would increase patrols and visibility in areas where people gather to worship in response to the shooting.

(UPDATED September 22, 2026 01:20 UTC)

In a shocking incident near the Sons of Jacob synagogue, an officer and a man were wounded in an exchange of gunfire, with the man now hospitalized in life-threatening condition. Norm Weddum, the synagogue president, described the terrifying moment when bullets sprayed through stained glass windows as worshipers crouched in fear, and he credited the officer with saving lives during the chaos. Authorities are set to hold a press conference from the scene at 11 a.m. Monday to provide further updates on this alarming situation.

(UPDATED September 21, 2026 20:57 UTC)

In a shocking incident near a synagogue, an officer hired for protection was wounded in an exchange of gunfire with a shooter, who is now hospitalized in life-threatening condition. The synagogue's president, Norm Weddum, recounted the terrifying moment, saying he heard the gunfire and quickly instructed everyone to get down while he closed the auditorium doors, noting that over 20 bullet holes were found in the windows. Weddum expressed his immediate realization of the danger, stating, "I could say, 'Oh, this is definitely someone … shooting here,'" as he ushered people into the sanctuary for safety.

(UPDATED September 21, 2026 13:58 UTC)

A man involved in a shooting at a synagogue is currently hospitalized in life-threatening condition, with photos revealing more than a dozen bullet holes in the stained glass. This incident follows a warning from Prime Minister Mark Carney about the rising antisemitism in Canada and its impact on the Jewish community. Authorities are expected to hold a press conference from the scene at 11 a.m. Monday, while the synagogue's president, Norm Weddum, recounted the terrifying moment he heard gunfire, stating, "I could say, 'Oh, this is definitely someone … shooting here.'"

(UPDATED September 21, 2026 13:01 UTC)

Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow has condemned the violence, emphasizing that Jewish Torontonians should not need police presence to observe Yom Kippur or live their daily lives. In response to a recent shooting, the Special Investigations Unit, which handles serious incidents involving police, has dispatched investigators to the scene. The synagogue's president, Norman Weddum, recounted the terrifying moment he heard gunfire, stating, "I could say, 'Oh, this is definitely someone … shooting here.'"

(UPDATED September 21, 2026 11:57 UTC)

A shooting at the Sons of Jacob synagogue left the congregation in a terrifying situation, but thanks to an officer hired for protection that day, lives were saved as he intervened during the attack. Norm Weddum, the synagogue's president, recounted hearing a barrage of gunfire and described the scene, noting that there were over 20 bullet holes in the windows. Ontario Premier Doug Ford condemned the violence, emphasizing that Jewish people should be able to gather and worship safely, especially during significant observances like Yom Kippur.

(UPDATED September 21, 2026 08:03 UTC)

A man involved in a shooting outside the Sons of Jacob Synagogue in Belleville is currently hospitalized in life-threatening condition. Ontario Premier Doug Ford expressed his disgust over the incident, emphasizing the need for those responsible to be arrested and prosecuted as the Jewish community gathered to mark Yom Kippur. The Special Investigations Unit, a civilian agency, has dispatched investigators to the scene to look into the matter.

(UPDATED September 21, 2026 07:17 UTC)

A police officer from the Belleville Police Service was shot while responding to an individual near the Sons of Jacob Synagogue in Belleville, Ontario, during Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. Both the officer and the individual were injured and taken to the hospital, but thankfully, no one inside the synagogue was harmed, leading to the cancellation of all Yom Kippur services. In light of the incident, York Regional Police have announced plans to increase patrols and visibility in areas where people gather to worship.