An 18-year-old suspect has been charged in connection with a series of shootings targeting synagogues in the Toronto area, in incidents that have deeply shaken the local Jewish community, reports The Jerusalem Post.
According to the Toronto Police Service and York Regional Police, the suspect—who cannot be named because he was a minor at the time of the alleged offences—faces multiple charges. These include discharging a firearm into a place, mischief causing significant property damage, and several firearms-related offences.
Police allege that on March 6, shots were fired at the Beth Avraham Yoseph of Toronto, commonly known as the BAYT, damaging its entrance while two people were inside. Shortly after midnight on March 7, a second shooting targeted the Shaarei Shomayim Synagogue, again causing damage to the building’s front doors.
No injuries were reported in either incident, but the attacks caused significant alarm within the community. The shootings followed an earlier incident on March 2, when gunfire struck the Temple Emanu-El, leaving multiple bullet holes in its windows.
Police confirmed that investigations remain ongoing, including whether hate crime or terrorism-related charges may be applicable.
Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw described the incidents as a serious act of violence against the Jewish community, while local officials emphasised the broader impact on public safety.
Steven Del Duca, mayor of nearby Vaughan, said the attacks had left residents shaken and stressed that those responsible must face consequences.
Jewish organisations, including the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs and the United Jewish Appeal Federation of Greater Toronto, warned that the shootings represent a troubling escalation in attacks on Jewish institutions.
“These attacks shook the sense of safety not only for those congregations, but for Jewish communities across the region,” the groups said, calling for strong and consistent enforcement of the law.
The case forms part of a wider pattern of antisemitic incidents targeting synagogues and Jewish sites in Canada, raising ongoing concerns about community security and the need for decisive responses from authorities.
Photo credit: York Regional Police
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