Charges laid after groups of Jews shot at with imitation firearm in Toronto: police

The incident took place outside a synagogue on Bathurst Street near Wilson Avenue. Janice Golding reports from the scene.

Toronto police say a Vaughan man is now facing charges in connection with two separate incidents in which visibly Jewish members of the community were shot at with a replica gun.

“This morning, approximately eight hours after the second incident occurred, search warrants were executed at a residence and a vehicle in Vaughan,” Acting Deputy Chief Joe Matthews told reporters Friday afternoon.

“An 18-year-old man has been arrested and charged with various weapons offences.”

He said seized evidence includes two gel blaster imitation firearms.

The arrest comes a day after police said three people standing outside a North York synagogue were shot at with a replica firearm just before 11 p.m. on Thursday night.

Police said the victims were standing outside Congregation Chasidei Bobov synagogue, on Bathurst Street near Wilson Avenue, when they were shot at with a replica firearm from a passing vehicle.

One person was struck as a result and sustained minor injuries, police say.

The suspects then fled in a Blue Lexus SUV.

Investigators said Friday they believe the same suspect was responsible for a similar incident targeting Jewish residents last week.

Three people, who police say were “visibly identifiable members of the Jewish community,” were shot at with a replica firearm near Bathurst Street and Lawrence Avenue on April 30.

The victims in that incident sustained minor injuries and the suspect also fled in a blue SUV, police said.

In a news release, police said 18-year-old Ruslan Novruzov has been charged with four counts of assault with a weapon and two counts of possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose.

Police said they believe the purpose of the attacks was to instill fear in members of the Jewish community, and the incidents are being investigated as suspected hate-motivated offences.

“I want to acknowledge the fear and distress this has caused. We recognize that Jewish residents have been living with a heightened sense of fear due to repeated incidents targeting their community, and this only adds to that, which is completely unacceptable,” Matthews said.

“While the weapons used were imitation firearms, the impacts are very real. These are criminal acts that we allege were meant to intimidate and cause fear.”

Police said they were able to make a quick arrest thanks to information from another party that had “an interaction” with the suspect.

They said anyone with further information is being encouraged to call investigators or call Crime Stoppers anonymously.

Incidents part of ‘troubling’ trend

Speaking to reporters alongside Matthews, Ontario Solicitor General Michael Kerzner called on the wider community to stand up to acts of bigotry.

“One act of antisemitism is not just an attack on the Jewish community, it is an attack on everyone who upholds the values of tolerance, of decency, of friendship,” Kerzner said. “And we must stand up united, and we must call it out, and we must show the rest of the world we will not tolerate it here or anywhere in our country.”

Premier Doug Ford also issued a statement on X, saying he was “disgusted” by the attacks.

“These attacks will not be tolerated and I’m pleased the Toronto Police have acted quickly in response and have a suspect in custody. I expect that all those who are responsible will be punished to the full extent of the law,” Ford said.

Mayor Olivia Chow was not at the news conference, but met with members of the community privately and posted a video statement on X.

“The violent attack at Congregation Chasedei Bobov was a disgusting antisemitic hate crime and it will not be tolerated in Toronto,” Chow said in her video.

Matthews called the incidents “very troubling” and said they will not be ignored by authorities.

“Let me be clear, targeting any community with violence will be met with a strong and coordinated response,” Matthews said. “We will continue to support those impacted and ensure that those responsible are held accountable.”

Antisemitic hate crimes have risen sharply in the past few years, with attacks targeting Jews accounting for more than 80 per cent of all religiously-motivated hate crimes in the city, according to the latest Toronto police statistics.

Separately this week, a man was arrested in connection with a series of shootings targeting GTA synagogues.

A number of local councillors, MPs and MPPs also gathered outside Congregation Chasidei Bobov Friday and called on the federal and provincial governments to do more to tackle the onslaught of attacks on the Jewish community.

In a statement, Ontario Liberal Party Interim Leader John Fraser and Toronto-St. Paul MPP Stephanie Smyth said the incidents are part of a trend of antisemitic occurrences and that it’s “unconscionable” some Jewish community members are now afraid to walk around in their own neighbourhoods.

“Antisemitic violence is growing in Ontario because people believe they can act with impunity — and so far, too many of them have been right,” the statement read.

They called on all levels of government to do more.