Toronto police are investigating after gunfire struck a synagogue in North York late Monday night, causing damage to the building but no injuries.
Officers were called at approximately 10:50 p.m. to Temple Emanu-El, located near Bayview Avenue and Highway 401, following reports of shots fired. Upon arrival, police located evidence of gunfire and damage to the synagogue’s front area.
No suspect description has been released. The investigation is being led by the police gun and gang task force in coordination with the hate crimes unit. Authorities said there will be an increased police presence in the area as the investigation continues.
The incident occurred as members of the congregation were marking the Jewish holiday of Purim. Rabbi Debra Landsberg told reporters that some congregants were still inside the building when the shots were heard.
“The congregation had gone home and we heard a series of gunshots," she said, adding that she was shaken by the incident. “It is devastating that there are those in this society that want to shatter what we have here."
Several congregants returned to the synagogue Tuesday morning, finding the area taped off by police.
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow condemned the shooting as “an unacceptable act of antisemitism and intimidation," stating that police would increase patrols to ensure the safety of the Jewish community.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford described the shooting as a “vile and targeted act of antisemitism," emphasizing that hate and violence against any community will not be tolerated.
Initial reports suggested that another nearby synagogue, Kehillat Shaarei Torah, had also been struck by gunfire. Police later clarified that damage at that location stemmed from a previous incident and that no firearm discharge occurred there Monday night.
The synagogue has faced repeated acts of vandalism in recent years.
Israeli Minister of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism Amichai Chikli addressed the shooting, stating that the 12 bullets fired at Temple Emanu-El join a series of severe incidents, including previous shooting attacks targeting the Jewish community in Canada, which until now have resulted in no physical injuries.
Chikli said that approximately one month ago he sent an urgent letter to Canada’s Minister of Public Safety warning that the scope and severity of antisemitic incidents in the country were clear warning signs before a potential disaster, and cautioned that failure to take action would lead to serious consequences.
He charged that the government of Mark Carney continues to ignore what he described as rampant antisemitism in the country, and asserted that Canada’s Jewish community deserves security and decisive action from its government.