A Jewish school in Toronto was shot at on Friday night during Yom Kippur, Toronto Police reported on Saturday.
Bais Chaya Mushka Girls Elementary School was targeted by “firearm discharge” from a car at 4.05 a.m. on Yom Kippur.
This is the second time the Jewish school for girls aged five to eleven has been targeted by a shooter or shooters. In May, two men fired five rounds at the school.
“I’m very disturbed to hear that last night, as families marked Yom Kippur, there were shots fired at a Jewish school in Toronto,” Justin Trudeau, the Canadian prime minister, said.
“As we wait for more details, my heart goes out to the students, staff and parents who must be terrified and hurting today.
“Antisemitism is a disgusting and dangerous form of hate—and we won’t let it stand,” the Canadian PM wrote on Twitter/X.
Canadian parliamentarian for Toronto, Kevin Vuong, called the incident “domestic terrorism”.
The school was empty at the time and police said there were no reported injuries, but the building sustained damage.
"We understand the fear and pain this causes, especially on Yom Kippur," the Toronto Police said, adding that they stood in solidarity with the Jewish community.
Inspector Paul Krawczyk reported: "Upon further investigation, it was determined that shots had been fired."
Pierre Poilievre, the Canadian opposition leader who is running against Trudeau, said: “This is yet another shameful and terrifyingly common antisemitic attack in Canada in 2024. It is part of a 251% increase in hate crimes during the nine years of the NDP-Liberals” [New Democratic Party].”
“This sadistic intimidation of innocent children and families goes beyond any debates. This is terrorism,” wrote Amir Hart, a People’s Party of Canada candidate for office in Thornhill, Ontario, which has a large Jewish community.
“We must come together as a community, regardless of ethnicity and religion, and unite against these sadistic extremists which are looking for an excuse to commit terrorism,” Hart said.
The Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center stated that it is “deeply disturbed that a Jewish school in Toronto was hit with gunfire overnight, as the Jewish community marked Yom Kippur, the holiest day on the Jewish calendar.”
“Bais Chaya Mushka, a Jewish girls’ school, was the target of gunfire for the second time, following a similar incident in May. No one was injured, but windows were broken in this latest attack which comes amid a continuing surge in antisemitism in Toronto and elsewhere in Canada.”
Police appealed for anyone with video footage of the incident to come forward.
