Belleville, Ont., police to give update on motive behind shooting near synagogue

Belleville, Ont., police to provide update on shootout near synagogue

Suspect in Belleville, Ont., shooting near synagogue dies in hospital

Smith has been hailed as a hero for his intervention on Sunday night.

"We will never know what might have happened inside our synagogue had Const. Smith not been there," the congregation said in a statement Wednesday.

An online fundraising campaign launched earlier this week by members of Toronto's Jewish community has so far raised over $500,000 for Smith and his family.

Belleville police are still outside the Sons of Jacob Synagogue on Thursday. (Michelle Song/CBC)Hi, I’m Michelle Song. I’m in Belleville today for the news conference.

We headed to the Sons of Jacob Synagogue first, where we saw Ontario Solicitor General Michael Kerzner speaking with police outside. 

Mohammed Beebeejaun with the Islamic Society of Belleville was also exiting the synagogue this afternoon after dropping off flowers and a card. 

Beebeejaun says Belleville is a tight-knit community and it was important for the Islamic society to show support for the Jewish community. 

“We sympathize with them. And we told them we are here to help them with whatever they need,” he said.

Community members, elected officials and religious leaders gathered outside city hall in Belleville, Ont., for a vigil on Monday, after a suspect allegedly opened fire on a police officer near a local synagogue.

While Belleville police have not yet divulged any findings about what led Ward to that area Sunday night, one of the synagogue's windows was left with multiple bullet holes.

Leaders of Ontario's Jewish community have roundly condemned Sunday's incident as a targeted hate crime.

Ontario's police watchdog, which is also investigating Belleville police, has said that Ward got to within half a block of the synagogue.

Asked Monday whether the evidence suggested it was an attack aimed specifically at the Jewish community, a spokesperson for the watchdog replied: "I'd be speculating, but ... I think that common sense would say that probably was the case." 

Belleville police Const. Jeff Smith in a photo shared by his wife Ashley. (Ashley Smith/Facebook)Smith has been with the Belleville police since 2013. He was parked near the synagogue because the congregation had requested police protection — a routine practice going back years, according to the president of the synagogue.

Smith's wife, Ashley Smith, wrote in a Facebook post Tuesday night that Smith was unable to speak for himself and required treatment by a neurosurgeon. She offered no other specifics about her husband's medical condition but wrote, "Jeff has a very long, difficult road ahead."

Belleville police and Ontario's Special Investigations Unit at the scene on Monday. (Ian MacAlpine/The Canadian Press)Belleville police Const. Jeff Smith was stationed outside the Sons of Jacob Synagogue, located in a residential area of the city, when 29-year-old Sean Ward fired at him with a shotgun.

Smith returned fire. Another Belleville officer also fired their weapon.

Smith was critically injured, while Ward suffered life-threatening injuries and later died in hospital.

Four days after a Belleville police officer was critically wounded near a local synagogue holding a Yom Kippur service, the police force is hosting a news conference Thursday at 2 p.m. ET.

Belleville police Chief Murray Rodd will be on hand to give remarks, joined by Ontario Solicitor General Michael Kerzner.