Two masked attackers opened fire early on Shabbat Yom Kippur morning at the Chabad-Lubavitch girls’ school in Toronto, Bais Chaya Mushka Elementary School. The school was empty at the time, having been closed for the Jewish holidays. Gunshot holes were seen on the outside of the building and a window was smashed, but no injuries were reported.
The incident occurred at around 4 am Saturday, Toronto Police Service Inspector Paul Krawczyk told reporters at a news conference. The suspect or suspects were in a motor vehicle when they opened fire at the school. Evidence of gunfire was located at the scene, according to a statement released by the police. The Toronto Police Service’s Gun and Gang Task Force has opened an investigation with assistance from its hate crime unit, Krawczyk said.
It’s the second time the school has been targeted in a violent antisemitic incident. This past May, the same school was hit by gunfire.
“It was pretty shocking, it was something that’s totally unexpected,” Rabbi Yaakov Vidal, principal of Chaya Mushka Elementary, told the Canadian Jewish News following that incident. “But we’ve got to move forward and make sure the kids can come back to school … Parents are concerned, but we’re grateful to have all the security we have here, the police force, and the reassurance that they’re going to be here with us until safety is restored,” the rabbi added.
“I appreciate the significant trauma that this can cause those in the Jewish community,” Krawczyk told reporters Saturday night. “While we can’t say whether these incidents are connected at this time, it’s certainly a key aspect of our investigation.
“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,” Krawczyk added.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau condemned the attack in a statement on the X social media platform, saying he was “very disturbed” to hear that as families marked Yom Kippur, shots were fired at the school.
“As we wait for more details, my heart goes out to the students, staff, and parents who must be terrified and hurting today,” Trudeau said. “Antisemitism is a disgusting and dangerous form of hate — and we won’t let it stand.”
