Montreal Jewish school targeted by gunfire, police say

Montreal police say a Jewish school in the borough of Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce has been hit by at least one bullet.

Const. Véronique Dubuc, a spokesperson for Montreal police, said investigators were called Wednesday in the late afternoon about a possible shooting outside the Yeshiva Ketana school on Hillsdale Road near Van Horne Avenue.

Police were on the scene by 6 p.m., established a perimeter and determined that at least one bullet struck the school, she said. Police are still in the early stages of the investigation.

Politicians and Jewish advocacy groups were quick to respond to the incident.

Yair Szlak, president and CEO of Federation CJA, and Eta Yudin, vice-president of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs Quebec, issued a joint statement Wednesday, saying the shooting took place sometime in the night between Tuesday and Wednesday.

"We have had enough. Another Jewish school shooting in Canada," the statement says.

"Once again, and thankfully, no one was inside the building. We know that when decisive action is taken by leadership at the municipal level, this can end."

The statement calls for an end to intimidation and fear-mongering in Montreal and calls on all citizens to use their voices to end the hatred.

The Montreal police service has assured, as a precaution, there will be increased presence in front of all Jewish schools in the city, the statement says.

Outremont MP Rachel Bendayan said on X, formerly Twitter, that she spoke with school administrators and community leaders about the incident.

"This must stop. This is not who we are," she wrote.

In an open letter published Wednesday, the Jewish Community Council (JCC) of Montreal called on the federal government to make schools eligible for the Expanded Security Infrastructure Program Funding — an investment to help Canadian communities at risk of hate-motivated crimes strengthen the security of their institutions.

Currently, only private, not-for-profit organizations are eligible for the funding. 

The council recommends that the government adopt a sliding scale to cover a higher percentage of costs incurred for security measures, depending on the size and capacity of the institution. The JCC says that change would allow smaller schools to invest in security cameras.

Thursday morning, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he was "disgusted by these vile and despicable acts of antisemitism."

"To the Jewish parents and students across the country, we stand with you," Trudeau said. "We will always work to safeguard your right to live proudly Jewish lives in Canada."

Trudeau said the government is working with local law enforcement and will "utilize all available federal resources to ensure that the perpetrators are held to account." 

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre also condemned the shooting.

"We are witnessing a terrifying escalation of antisemitism in this country," he wrote on X. "The Trudeau government must step up and finally do something to protect Jewish people in Canada against this violence."

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said in a post on X that "this antisemitic violence has no place in our communities."

"I am horrified," Singh wrote. "We stand firm in condemning these gross acts that are meant to terrorize an entire community."

Quebec Higher Education Minister Pascale Déry told reporters Thursday that the shooting is unacceptable. 

"It's another antisemitic act, and it should not happen," she said. "There's an increase in antisemitism, we know, here in Quebec and elsewhere also. It needs to stop."

Last week, Montreal police announced they arrested a suspect in connection with shots fired at a Jewish school back in November. Two Jewish schools were shot at in November.