‘You are going to die for the Jews’: Belleville synagogue shooter Sean Ward said during gun battle with police

Published Sep 25, 2026  •  Last updated 1 hour ago  •  3 minute read

Sons of Jacob Synagogue in Belleville on Thursday September 24, 2026. This was the scene of a shooting on September 20, on Yom Kippur. Photo by Ernest Doroszuk/Toronto Sun/Postmedia

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“You are going to die for the Jews.”

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That’s what Belleville synagogue shooter Sean Ward could be heard saying amid an exchange of gunfire with police.

During a Thursday press conference with Belleville Police Chief Murray Rodd, a seconds-long video was shown with Ward and constables Jeff Smith and Mark McCurdy as they exchanged gunfire outside Sons of Jacob synagogue around 7 p.m. on Sunday.

Ward could be heard screaming, “You are going to die for the Jews” repeatedly, presumably at both Smith and McCurdy as bullets flew in all directions on a quiet residential street. 

In the video, two men can be seen exchanging gunfire and ducking behind vehicles for cover in the gaps between tree branches. Gasps of shock were in competition with the sound of the rapid-fire gunplay, as the camera operator seemed entirely aghast at the unfolding scene playing out on an otherwise quiet night in the twilight hours.  

Belleville Police Chief Chief Murray Rodd  provides an update on the shooting at the Sons of Jacob Synagogue in Belleville and the condition of Const. Jeff Smith, who remains hospitalized – during a press conference in Belleville on Thursday September 24, 2026. Photo by Ernest Doroszuk/Toronto Sun/Postmedia

Means and the motive

Inside the synagogue, about 25 people were gathered for Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. None were injured. 

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“Make no mistake; this was a targeted attack against the Jewish community,” Rodd said.  

If it were not for the actions of Smith and McCurdy, the loss of life inside the synagogue may have been more catastrophic, as Ward had the ammo and the wherewithal to inflict significant damage, way more than he did.  

Rodd said the shooter came to the synagogue with additional weapons and a significant amount of ammunition on his person. 

“The suspect had the means, the motive, and the mechanisms to cause a mass casualty, and the destruction of the Jewish synagogue,” Rodd said. “The loss of life and the irreversible damage that could have been rippled through our community for generations cannot be overstated.” 

The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) confirmed Tuesday that Sean Ward, a suspect involved in a shootout with Belleville Police at Sons of Jacob Synagogue on Sunday, died in hospital on Monday night. Ward was one of many Canadian Armed Forces soldiers and ex-soldiers suing the Canadian military over orders requiring COVID-19 vaccines. Photo by NATIONAL POST/Postmedia Network

Embroiled in a lawsuit

Ward, the 29-year-old gunman, was wounded at the scene, but died a couple of days later at Kingston hospital. He was one of many Canadian Armed Forces soldiers and ex-soldiers suing the Canadian government over orders requiring COVID-19 vaccines.  

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Ward was a Corporal with the 3rd Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry based at Canadian Forces Base Edmonton and was involuntarily discharged from the military, deemed “unsuitable for further service,” according to the National Post.

Court documents say he was seeking $1,500,000 in general damages and additional compensation for a financial loss of $140,000. 

The lawsuit says Ward refused to be vaccinated “on religious grounds,” but his claim for an exemption was refused by military officials. 

The lawsuit was filed Sept. 27, 2023, with the Federal Court in Edmonton. It was sealed by the court with an updated claim filed Feb. 25, 2026. 

Ward was plaintiff number 110 in a list of 128 members and former members of the military claiming they were impacted by the vaccination mandate foisted upon them.  

“This mandate, implemented through a series of Directives, coerced vaccination under threat of career-ending sanctions, bypassing statutory processes and infringing fundamental rights,” the lawsuit claims. 

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The plaintiffs seek in damages $1 million each for negligence, Charter breaches and misuse of authority, and another $500,000 each for bad faith conduct. They also seek individualized damages for future income loss, pension loss, medical expenses and other expenses. 

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Donations pouring in

In tribute and thanks to the officers in Belleville, a GoFundMe page was set up by the Canadian Jewish Community earlier this week. The funding request has raised $660,172 of the $700,000 requested, as of 11:35 a.m. on Friday morning.  

In an update on Thursday, Rodd said Smith was recovering. McCurdy was not struck by gunfire. 

“We are pleased to share that Smith continues to make positive progress in his recovery,” Rodd said. “He still has a long road to recovery. He has everything extending from fractures to wounds and is still bearing shrapnel.” 

More than six thousand people have made a donation. The page was organized by Derek Kreindler.  

[email protected]

— With files from Postmedia News. 

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