Incident marks second time in six months that gunmen targeted Jewish school in Toronto; none injured.
By World Israel News Staff
Unknown perpetrators shot at a Jewish school in Canada on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year for Jews, causing damage to a building but no injuries.
A bullet shattered a window at the Bais Chaya Mushka girls school in the North York neighborhood of Toronto on Saturday, according to media reports.
Notably, the shooting was the second of its kind in months, as unknown gunmen previously targeted the school in May.
“We understand this is deeply unsettling for the Jewish community,” said Inspector Paul Krawczyk, who confirmed local police had opened a hate crime investigation into the incident.
Krawczyk said the shooting likely took place around 4 a.m.. There were no reports about the gunfire made to the police at the time, he added.
“We’re asking anyone who is in the area or who could have dash cam footage or other CCTV footage to please step forward and provide us with that evidence. Your help is vital to the work we do and to find those responsible,” he said.
Referencing the previous shooting at the school, Krawcyzk told Canadian media that “while we can’t say whether these incidents are connected at this time, it’s certainly a key aspect of our investigation.”
Local police will be stepping up their patrols in the North York neighborhood, which is a heavily Jewish enclave within Toronto.
“I’m very disturbed to hear that last night, as families marked Yom Kippur, there were shots fired at a Jewish school in Toronto,” wrote Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in a statement on his X account.
“As we wait for more details, my heart goes out to the students, staff, and parents who must be terrified and hurting today,” he added.
“Antisemitism is a disgusting and dangerous form of hate — and we won’t let it stand.”