Police Chief Murray Rodd of Belleville said that the gunman who ambushed and seriously wounded an officer near Sons of Jacob Synagogue during Yom Kippur services had the means and motive to cause significant casualties. The incident occurred just after 7 p.m. on Sunday when Constable Jeff Smith confronted the shooter, preventing him from entering the synagogue where a service was underway. Chief Rodd emphasized that this was a hate-motivated crime targeting Belleville's Jewish community. The gunman, identified as 29-year-old Sean Ward, died in hospital after being wounded during the shootout; he used a shotgun and had additional resources available to cause further harm.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-25,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Belleville synagogue shooter had means to carry out 'mass casualty' event: police chief
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shooter → have → chief
Gunman thwarted by 2 officers was specifically targeting Jewish community, police say
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police → thwart → community
The Belleville Police Service says the man who ambushed and seriously wounded an officer near a local synagogue Sunday had the means and motive to carry out a "mass casualty" event and was specifically targeting members of the city's Jewish community.
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who → say → community
"The loss of life and irreversible damage that could have rippled through our community for generations cannot be overstated," Belleville Police Chief Murray Rodd said at a news conference Thursday, repeatedly emphasizing that the incident was "a hate-motivated crime."
Const. Jeff Smith confronted the gunman despite having been wounded in his vehicle, while another officer joined the fray and put his own life at risk, too, Rodd said.
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Rodd → ripple → risk
"The only thing that stopped entry into the synagogue to execute the intent were the two officers," the police chief said in the most detailed account yet of Sunday's shocking shootout.
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chief → stop → shootout
Just after 7 p.m., as a Yom Kippur service was getting underway inside Sons of Jacob Synagogue, located in a residential part of Belleville, shots erupted outside.
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shots → get → Belleville
Rodd said Smith was parked outside the synagogue as part of his regularly assigned duties when he was ambushed by the gunman, and "that's when the shooting started."
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shooting → say → gunman
Belleville Police played a short video clip showing part of the shootout.
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Police → play → shootout
In it, Smith and the shooter are each crouched by vehicles as gunfire is heard.
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gunfire → crouch → vehicles
Someone can be heard shouting at one point, but it's difficult to make out what was said.
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what → hear → point
According to the police service, the gunman was shouting, "You are going to die for the Jews."
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You → accord → Jews
Rodd said Smith was shot several times in the head and body and will need to undergo multiple surgeries related to serious head trauma.
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Smith → say → trauma
Wife of wounded Belleville police officer says he faces 'long, difficult road'
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he → wound → road
’We hit the floor’: Belleville, Ont., synagogue leader recounts shooting that left police officer injured
"We are pleased to share that [he] continues to make positive progress in his recovery," the police chief said.
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chief → hit → recovery
"While he faces a long road ahead, his determination [and] resilience … continues to inspire all of us."
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determination → face → us
After Smith was wounded, Rodd said he was alone on the scene for nearly three minutes before a second Belleville police officer, Const. Michael McCurdy, arrived and "immediately moved toward the danger."
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officer → wound → danger
The gunman was identified by investigators earlier this week as 29-year-old Sean Ward of the neighbouring city of Quinte West.
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gunman → identify → West
They said he was wounded in the shootout and taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries.
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he → say → injuries
On Tuesday, Ontario's Special Investigations Unit (SIU), the civilian agency that investigates police conduct during officer-involved shootings and other serious incidents, reported that Ward had died in hospital on Monday night.
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Ward → investigate → night
According to Rodd, the shooter used a shotgun but had "other resources" available, including "a significant amount of ammunition on his person and available to him."
Rodd noted that the shooter also had "combustible" materials in his vehicle.
One of the synagogue's street-facing windows was pierced by several bullets.
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One → accord → bullets
"It's … terrifying really how close we came to such a massacre," Doug Lobel, a Sons of Jacob member who was inside the synagogue during the shooting, told CBC News Network Thursday.
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who → come → Network
Members of Ontario's Jewish community on Thursday said they were appreciative that Belleville Police declared Sunday's incident a hate-motivated crime against Jews, but warned that it was only the latest in a series of such attacks — and that more needs to be done to prevent them.
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more → say → them
- CBC Investigates
Synagogue shooter's online username alluded to killing Jews weeks before attack, friend says
Questions swirl as members of Belleville, Ont., synagogue return after shooting
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members → allude → shooting
"We need police services to be there, to be at our institutions, to be at our synagogues, and they have done really a great job to this point," said Steven Shulman, CEO of the Jewish Federations of Canada.
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Shulman → need → Canada
"But much more now is needed.
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more → need → ?
The Aporia
