The province’s Special Investigations Unit said the shootout between a gunman and Belleville police Sunday left ‘dozens of bullet holes’, including at homes that were hit and vehicles left with shot out windows.
Police said Sean Ward of Hastings County is the suspect after an exchange of gunfire outside of Sons of Jacob Synagogue.
People were inside the synagogue at the time of the shooting on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year in Judaism.
Kristy Denette, spokesperson with the SIU, said during a press conference on Monday that investigators are piecing together a timeline of events using police body cameras, a police car camera and witness statements.
Denette could not confirm if the synagogue was hit by any of the bullets, saying the shooter got within about a half a block of the property.
It’s believed the suspect arrived in a truck, had a shotgun, and discharged it at an officer stationed at the synagogue.
The officer returned fire. A second officer arrived and also discharged their firearm.
The SIU spokesperson said as many as 20-30 gunshots were fired.
Denette said until police body cams are reviewed, it’s difficult to provide a sequence of events.
“I don’t have a sense of timing right now but what I can tell you is there are dozens of bullet holes in the street behind me.”
It is believed the suspect’s truck, a police car and civilian vehicles were hit.
“Is it quite a complex scene,” she said.
Asked at the press conference if it was a terrorist attack against the Jewish community, given the time and place, Denette said she would be speculating but common sense would say that probably was the case.
Denette added that the SIU has a mandate to criminally investigate the actions of police officers, in this case involving a police officer who discharged his firearm at a person.
At the same time, there is a parallel criminal investigation by Belleville police.
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