GUNMAN DIES IN HOSPITAL AFTER CANADIAN POLICE SHOOTOUT
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Agency Report
A 29-year-old gunman who opened fire on police outside a synagogue in Belleville, southeastern Ontario, during the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur has died after being shot by Canadian police.
The incident occurred on Sunday evening as worshippers gathered at the Sons of Jacob congregation to observe Yom Kippur, regarded as the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.
According to Kristy Dennette, a spokesperson for Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit, the man approached the synagogue carrying a shotgun and fired at police officers guarding the congregation.
The officers returned fire, leaving the gunman injured. He was taken to hospital but died on Monday night, Dennette said.
An officer who was injured during the incident remains in stable condition in hospital.
Police have not officially confirmed whether the Jewish community was specifically targeted. However, Dennette told reporters that the circumstances suggested the gunman may have intended to attack the synagogue.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Ontario Premier Doug Ford both condemned the shooting.
The incident comes amid an increase in reported antisemitic incidents in Canada and other Western countries over the past three years, following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks and the subsequent Israeli military response.
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