Man, 19, arrested in Ontario after threats to shoot up synagogue: police

A 19-year-old man in Durham Region was arrested for threatening to shoot a synagogue. He was charged just a day before a gunman opened fire outside Sons of Jacob Synagogue in Belleville, Ont., injuring Const. Jeff Smith stationed outside.

Sign In or Create an Account

Alexander Parfitt, a resident of Whitby, is accused of posting about carrying out a shooting on an online message board, according to Durham Regional Police. Officers received information about the threats from a law enforcement partner.

Police were able to identify the user and executed a search warrant at the man’s Whitby home on Sept. 19.

Get a dash of perspective along with the trending news of the day in a very readable format.

By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.

A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.

The next issue of NP Posted will soon be in your inbox.

We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again

He was charged with threats motivated by hate.

The shooting in Belleville, roughly 140 kilometres west of Whitby, took place around 7 p.m. on Sunday evening, when a 29-year-old suspect Sean Ward fired shots at the synagogue.

At the time, there were roughly 25 congregants inside the building for evening prayers on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year for the Jewish community. None of the congregants were injured. Smith was rushed to Kingston General Hospital where he remains in critical but stable condition.

Meanwhile, the suspect is in life-threatening condition.

Durham police said it had increased patrol during the Jewish high holidays at community centres and places of worship.

Synagogues across Canada have become the target of antisemitic attacks.

In January, a synagogue in Winnipeg was graffitied with swastikas. In March, three synagogues in the Greater Toronto Area were hit with bullets. In June, a suspect was arrested after an attempted arson at a synagogue in Montreal.

Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here.

This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.