(May 6, 2026 / JNS)
The Toronto Police Service has arrested an 18-year-old man without a permanent address in relation to the shootings that occurred in March targeting synagogues in Toronto and Vaughan, Ontario, according to a statement from the department on Wednesday.
The investigation involved the counter-terrorism unit along with the York Regional Police, as mentioned by the department.
The young man faces two counts of firing a weapon and mischief causing damage over $5,000, along with one count each for unauthorized possession of a firearm, having a weapon inside a vehicle, possession of a prohibited device, careless storage of such a device, and having it in a vehicle.
At the time of the incidents, he was 17 years old and is set to appear in court on May 20.
According to police reports, he is suspected of discharging a firearm outside synagogues shortly before midnight on March 6 and just after midnight on March 7. The doors of the synagogues were damaged but fortunately, no one inside was harmed during these events.
Simon Wolle, CEO of B’nai Brith Canada, expressed gratitude to the Toronto Police Service and York Regional Police for their thorough efforts during this investigation. He remarked that “Canada’s Jewish community is facing threats at an unprecedented scale and with appalling frequency. More must be done to combat antisemitism and extremism in this country.”
Wolle added that “a whole-of-government approach is critical to ensure proper coordination between municipal, provincial and federal leaders, as well as between security agencies and partners.”
He went on to mention their eight-point plan which includes these recommendations that they urge the federal government to implement promptly. “Canada’s leadership stands at a crossroads and must act with moral clarity and persistence,” he said.
Myron Demkiw, chief of the Toronto Police Service stated that “these incidents were a terrible act of violence against the Jewish community in our cities.”
James Pasternak from Toronto City Council declared that “this is a clear message: targeted hate will be pursued, prosecuted and stopped.”
The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs together with UJA Federation of Greater Toronto shared their relief upon hearing about the charges related to the shootings at Shaarei Shomayim in Toronto and Beth Avraham Yoseph in Vaughan this past March.
“These attacks shook the sense of safety not only for those congregations but for Jewish communities across the region,” they stated. They thanked both police departments for their hard work stating that it sends “a clear signal that those who target our community will be identified and held accountable.”
“The Jewish community, like all Canadians, must have confidence that acts of violence and intimidation will be met with serious consequences,” they emphasized. “Multiple shootings targeting synagogues represent a dangerous escalation. Canada’s reputation as a safe and inclusive country depends on our collective willingness to confront this reality directly.”
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