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Police officer wounded in shooting near synagogue on Yom Kippur
September 21, 2026 / 7:58 AM EDT
/ CBS/AP
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A police officer and a man were wounded in an exchange of gunfire Sunday near a synagogue in Ontario as members of the Jewish community marked Yom Kippur, authorities said. The man was hospitalized in life-threatening condition. The province's Special Investigations Unit said the exchange of gunfire happened near the Sons of Jacob Synagogue in Belleville, Ontario, about 110 miles east of Toronto. Belleville police said the officer encountered the man around 7:10 p.m. and that both were taken to a hospital. Police have not said what led to the shooting or whether the synagogue or Jewish community was targeted. They said there was no risk to public safety and asked people to avoid the area while officers investigated.The synagogue's president, Norman Weddum, told CBC News Network he was ushering people into the sanctuary to begin services when he heard gunfire."I could say, 'Oh, this is definitely someone … shooting here,'" he told the outlet. "So that's when we ran back into the auditorium of the synagogue, closed the doors behind us so as to not leave a visible target. And we hit the floor."The Special Investigations Unit, the civilian agency that investigates serious incidents involving police, said it sent investigators to the scene. Belleville police said they would not provide further information while the investigation was underway.