A 19-year-old man has been arrested after Durham Regional Police say he allegedly threatened online to carry out a shooting at a synagogue in the Durham Region.
Police said members of their Hate Crime Unit received information on Friday, September 18, from an external law enforcement partner regarding threats posted on an online message board to carry out a shooting at a synagogue.
Investigators identified the person allegedly responsible for the messages and, the following day, executed a search warrant at a residence in Whitby.
Police said Alexander Parfitt, 19, of Whitby, was found inside the residence and taken into custody without incident.
Parfitt has been charged with threats motivated by hate and was held for a bail hearing. The allegations have not been proven in court. The arrest came as Jewish communities across the region were observing Yom Kippur. In Belleville, Ontario, a separate suspect opened fire at a synagogue during services, damaging the building and injuring a police officer. The suspect was shot by police, suffering critical injuries.
Durham Regional Police said they have increased patrols around Jewish places of worship and community gathering locations throughout the holiday period.
Uniformed officers will maintain a heightened and visible presence at identified locations as a precaution, police said, adding that the measures are intended to support public safety and provide reassurance to members of the Jewish community.