Toronto Police Services and York Regional Police announced they have arrested an 18-year-old man of no fixed address, in connection with shootings at two Toronto-area synagogues in March.<\/p>\n
The suspect\u2019s identity is withheld under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, as he was 17 at the time of the shootings. He faces seven gun-related charges, including two counts of discharge of a firearm into a place and unauthorized possession of a firearm.<\/p>\n
The shootings occurred late on March 6 and early March 7, when shots were fired first at Beth Avraham Yoseph Synagogue of Toronto (BAYT) in Thornhill, and then at Shaarei Shomayim Synagogue in Toronto. No injuries were reported, but two people were inside the BAYT cleaning up, at the time of the shooting.<\/p>\n
Toronto Police\u2019s Integrated Gun and Gang Task Force, supported by the newly formed Counter-Terrorism Security Unit, which includes the Hate Crime Unit, along with York Region\u2019s Firearms Investigations Team and Hate Crime Prevention Unit, investigated the incidents.<\/p>\n
The two shootings are among several incidents over the last few months that have left the region\u2019s Jewish community on edge. On the evening of March 2, a few hours after Purim celebrations concluded, shots were fired at Temple Emanu-El<\/a> in North York. No suspects have been identified or arrests made in connection with that incident.<\/p>\n On April 3, shots were fired at the Jewish-owned restaurant, Old Avenue, in North York. Toronto Police announced<\/a> five days later they had arrested a 35-year-old man in connection with that incident.<\/p>\n