A former Canadian Armed Forces soldier who allegedly opened fire on a police officer outside a Belleville, Ont., synagogue over the weekend has died. Sean Ward, a 29-year-old Quinte West resident, was shot during an exchange of gunfire with police outside Sons of Jacob Synagogue on Sunday night as congregants inside prepared to mark Yom Kippur. Ward was initially without vital signs at the scene of the shooting but was revived and rushed to the hospital in life-threatening condition. He died in hospital on Monday night, and an autopsy has been scheduled for Wednesday in Kingston, Ont., the Special Investigations Unit confirmed to CP24. Investigators have previously said that Ward was armed with a shotgun and opened fire on a police officer stationed outside, shortly after arriving in the area in a truck. A 13-year veteran of the Belleville Police Service—Const. Jeff Smith—was critically injured in the shooting. Sources tell CP24 that Smith was shot multiple times, including in the neck, and remained in hospital in stable condition as of Tuesday. While police have not commented on the motive behind the shooting, SIU spokesperson Kristy Denette did agree with a reporter’s suggestion on Monday that it could fit the description of a terrorist attack. “I think that common sense would say that probably was the case,” she said. Individual matching gunman’s description served with CAF In a statement provided to CTV News on Tuesday, a spokesperson for the Canadian Armed Forces confirmed that a former member matches the description of the shooting suspect. The spokesperson said that Ward enrolled in the military in July 2017 and was released in June 2022 at the rank of corporal. “He served as an infantry soldier with the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry and did not deploy during his service,” the spokesperson said. “We remain ready to provide assistance to the investigation if required.” Police identified Ward on Monday but have not provided any further details, citing the ongoing investigation being conducted by Ontario’s police watchdog. The SIU has estimated that 20 to 30 shots were fired at the scene. Congregation members at Sons of Jacob Synagogue have said that some of those shots shattered stained-glass windows in the building. Consul general visits synagogue Nadav Zysblat, the consul general of Israel to Toronto and Western Canada, visited the synagogue on Tuesday and talked to the members of the community. He said people are concerned and frightened in the wake of the shooting. “They’re seeing levels of antisemitism in Canada that we haven’t seen before, and this is extremely concerning. And again, we call upon the Canadian government to take all the measures to make sure that any Canadian feels safe; that includes, of course, the Jewish community in Canada,” Zysblat said in an interview with CP24. “I think we really have to make sure that this really is the last time and that that is a call for action, not for words, but for actual decisive action.” Seeing the bullet holes in the stained glass felt “surreal” for the president of the congregation, who returned to the synagogue for the first time since the shooting. “It’s kind of strange actually coming back in. But we are glad to be back in,” said Norm Weddum. He recounted hearing loud bangs and closing the wooden doors once he realized they were gunshots. Weddum said he crouched down and did not move until the shooting had stopped. He also remembered the congregation being taken to the police station and doing service in there. “We moved the tables and chairs over together there, and we all sat there, and we had a bit of a service with the rabbi and did some hymns and songs and just kind of put things like back in place, what we were here to do,” Weedum said. “It kind of brought people closer together after a traumatic event.” Weedum said he is still in shock but cannot wait to hold service at the synagogue again. “Let’s get back to what we do and running services and programs and teaching, and that’s what we want to do, and so we’re going to get started again,” he said. Reacting to news of the shooting on Monday, Premier Doug Ford called Smith a “hero” and said that he “stopped a tragedy in its footsteps.” In an interview with CP24 on Tuesday, Richard Marceau, who is the Senior Vice President Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, said the incident further underscores the need for resources to protect synagogues and other Jewish institutions amid an increase in violent act targeting the community. “Words are not enough and there are things that need to happen. So we need to convene a a meeting of federal, provincial, and territorial and municipal leaders to make sure that there’s intelligence sharing, that the law is properly enforced and there needs to be an expedited way to get Jewish institutions like synagogues, community centres and schools to have access to off-duty armed police officers to protect our institutions because imagine if those two heroes, those two police officers, had not been there in Belleville,” he said. With files from CP24’s Beatrice Vaisman
