A gunman who was shot by Canadian police after firing on officers outside a synagogue during a Jewish holiday over the weekend has died, an official said Tuesday.

A 29-year-old man carrying a shotgun approached a synagogue in Belleville, a city in southeastern Ontario, on Sunday evening as worshippers gathered to mark Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar.

He shot at police, prompting officers guarding the Sons of Jacob congregation to return fire.

The man was hospitalized after the shooting and died on Monday night, said Kristy Dennette, a spokesperson for Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit, which probes shootings involving police.

Dennette told AFP an injured officer remains in stable condition in hospital.

Police have not confirmed that Belleville’s Jewish community was the target of the attack, but Dennette told reporters that “common sense” would suggest the gunman was trying to attack the synagogue.

Prime Minister Mark Carney and Ontario Premier Doug Ford both condemned the shooting.

Like many Western countries, Canada has seen a rise in reported incidents of antisemitism over the last three years amid criticism of Israel’s response to the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks.

AFP