Shots fired at Jewish elementary school in Toronto for 3rd time this year | Globalnews.ca

For the third time this year, shots were fired at the Bais Chaya Mushka Elementary School, a Jewish school in the city’s north end, according to police.

“Early this morning, shortly after 2.30 a.m., we received reports of a shooting at the school,” Supt. Paul McIntyre told reporters in front of the school on Friday afternoon.

“Officers from 32 Division arrived on scene moments later. They discovered several bullet-holes in the front of the school.”

He went on to say that the school was empty at the time of the shooting and that there have been no injuries reported to police in connection with the incident.

McIntyre said that six shots were fired at the school by the perpetrators.

“A vehicle pulled up. Somebody exited the vehicle, fired at the building and then drove away,” he said.

This is the third time this year that people have taken shots at the all-girls institution, which serves around 250 students.

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In October, on Yom Kippur, shots were fired from a vehicle on Chesswood Drive, striking the window, according to police.

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A few days later, police announced the arrests of a 20-year-old man and a 17-year-old boy in connection with the incident.

That incident followed on the heels of another shooting in May, in which two suspects fired shots at the school at around 5 a.m. on a Saturday.

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“I can tell you with the May shooting, we are making great strides in our investigation,”
McIntyre said. “In the October shooting, we’ve arrested two individuals who we believe are responsible for that shooting. We recovered the firearm which we believe is responsible for that shooting.”

He said that the two people who were arrested in connection with the October shooting remain in custody.

“It’s too early to say whether last night’s shooting is connected to the previous two,” McIntyre said. “The investigation is ongoing and we’ll be looking into every possible avenue.”

A local Jewish community safety group said students had been welcomed back to the school despite the overnight shooting.

“As we assess the implications of these latest incidents for the security of our community, we are updating Jewish institutions across the (Greater Toronto Area) about the situation and the critical need for vigilance,” read an update from Jewish Security Network, a group launched by the United Jewish Appeal of Greater Toronto in response to a reported spike in antisemitism since the outset of the Israel-Hamas conflict.

In a statement, Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow said she was outraged by the incident and that she has been in touch with police about the latest shooting at the all-girls school.

“Enough is enough. Antisemitism and antisemitic attacks have no place in Toronto,” Chow said.

“The latest shooting at the Bais Chaya Mushka Elementary School is unacceptable. Once again students, families, and neighbours are waking up to safety concerns.”

—with files from The Canadian Press and Global News

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