The suspect involved in a shooting outside a Belleville, Ont., synagogue Sunday night that left a police officer critically injured and worshippers ducking for safety has been identified. Special Investigations Unit Spokesperson Kristy Denette told reporters outside the Sons of Jacob Synagogue Monday afternoon that the suspect arrived at the place of worship in a truck armed with a shotgun as congregants prepared to mark Yom Kippur. “He discharged his firearm at a police officer and then that police officer returned fire and then there was a second officer who arrived and then also discharged a firearm,” she said. Belleville police identified the suspect as 29-year-old Quinte West resident Sean Ward. He remains in hospital in life-threatening condition. It’s unclear what charges he will face. The officer who was shot is in critical, but stable condition. Here are the latest details: Police release details about officer who was shotBelleville Dep. Police Chief Sheri Meeks revealed Monday that the officer who was shot in the exchange of gunfire is Cst. Jeff Smith, a 13-year veteran of the force. “While he continues to face a significant road to recovery, his condition has stabilized, and we remain hopeful and encouraged by his progress.” Meeks said there is currently no ongoing threat to public safety, but officers will maintain a visible presence in the area. Ottawa police increasing patrolsThe Ottawa Police Service is increasing patrols at synagogues and Jewish community locations across the city following the shooting in Belleville, Ont. In a statement, the Ottawa Police Service said there was “no information indicating a specific threat to the Ottawa community connected to this incident.” “We know this incident may be felt deeply by many people, regardless of where it occurred,” police said on social media Monday. “We recognize that this incident has understandably raised concerns and may leave some feeling shaken, vulnerable, or fearful as, at the time of the shooting, members of the Jewish community were gathering to observe one of the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, Yom Kippur.” SIU says shooting fits the description of a terrorist attackAsked if there was evidence to suggest that Sunday night’s shooting was a terrorist attack, Denette said: “I think that common sense would say that probably was the case.” “I want to be clear: the special investigations unit has a limited mandate, and our mandate is to criminally investigate the actions of police officers, particularly in this case, an officer who discharged a firearm at a person,” she said. “So our mandate, our scope, is kind of more focused on that, and at the same time, there is a parallel criminal investigation going on with the Belleville police. So they’ll be looking at motives, that kind of thing, and any charges against the the individual who who did this.” The Special Investigations Unit is called in when police are involved in an incident that results in death, serious injury, sexual assault, and/or the discharge of a firearm at a person. 20 to 30 shots fired: SIUDenette said while the investigation is still in its early stages, she said it’s “probably a fair estimate” that 20 to 30 gunshots were fired between the suspect and the two officers. “There were multiple strikes from the officer, and then also sustained by the shooter,” she said. A police cruiser and several other civilian vehicles were also struck by gunfire, Denette added. ‘You are literally frozen:’ congregation memberDoug Lobel was inside Sons of Jacob Synagogue when gunfire first erupted outside and described the initial chaotic moments in an interview with CP24 on Monday morning. Lobel said that about 24 congregation members were inside at the time. He said that many members quickly came to the conclusion that there was a gunman outside after hearing the initial volley of shots but had “no clue” what was happening beyond that. “We just heard a lot of shots fired, we didn’t know if there was more than one shooter, we didn’t know if the officer was still there and the biggest concern was just was the gunman going to breach the doors and start targeting us?” Lobel told CP24. “The thing was like what do we do in that situation? So you are kind of thinking these things but at the same time you are literally frozen and you have no clue what was going on outside.” Lobel said that once the gunfire eventually stopped, those gathered inside the synagogue prayed together and held hands as they waited for police to enter the building. All hell broke loose’: synagogue presidentNorm Weddum, the president of the Sons of Jacob Synagogue, said the members of his congregation were just sitting down for Yom Kippur service when the first volley of shots rang out. “And, all of a sudden, there was ‘bang, bang, bang,’ and that was the first of the shots being fired, and we’re kind of all in a state of shock. Like, ‘What was that? Was that shooting?’” he told CP24 Monday morning. As many as 25 people were in the temple and Weddum said some members headed to the doors to investigate before another round of shots were fired. “At that point I said, ’This is definitely shots being fired,’” he recalled. “We ushered everyone back into the sanctuary, and I closed the doors because I didn’t want to have a visual target if anyone was coming to the front of the building. So, we closed the wooden doors that lead into the auditorium and the sanctuary, and I yelled to everyone to get down, right onto the floor.” No one inside the synagogue at the time of the shooting was injured. Weddum said he and his congregants were on the floor for what felt like “hours” as the gunman was met by a police officer who was already stationed outside the synagogue. “He (the suspect) wouldn’t have seen the officer because he was in an unmarked vehicle, and I believe that’s when the officer confronted him, and of course, all hell broke loose,” he said. “At that point, the bullets were coming in through the windows of the sanctuary … one of our stained glass windows has got about 20 bullet holes.” Weddum said Belleville’s Jewish community is quite small and his synagogue has never received any threats.
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