Jewish school in Montreal targeted by gunfire a second time
A Jewish school in Montreal was targeted by gunfire on Sunday for the second time this week.
Police were called to the Côte-des-Neiges neighbourhood around 5 a.m., where gunshots were reported on Deacond Road, near Van Horne Avenue.
Upon arrival, officers discovered bullet holes in the facade of the Jewish School Yeshiva Gedola.
No one was inside the building at the time and there were no injuries. Witnesses told Montreal police (SPVM) they saw a vehicle speeding off after the shots were fired.
"Bullet casings were found on the ground," confirmed police spokesperson Véronique Dubuc.
THREE SHOOTINGS THIS WEEK
It's the third time this week a Montreal Jewish school has been shot at.
On Thursday, police discovered bullet holes at Yeshiva Gedola as well as at United Talmud Torahs of Montreal Inc.
Those first two shootings are being investigated as hate crimes, police confirmed on Friday.
SPVM statistics gathered from Oct. 7 (the start of the Israel-Hamas war) to Nov. 7 reveal 73 hate crime incidents targeting Jewish communities in the city, as well as 25 targeting the Arab-Muslim community.
Police search an area near the Yeshiva Gedolah Jewish school after shots were fired at the school in Montreal, Sunday, Nov. 12, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
"Everybody feels a bit nervous. of course, I mean you're living right next door to where bullet shots were fired," said Charles Abelson, who lives nearby the school. Following the shooting earlier this week, several parents said they felt uneasy bringing their kids to classes.
Yeshiva Gedolah houses an early childhood center (CPE), as well as primary, secondary and post-secondary classes.
JEWISH COMMUNITY 'UNDER ATTACK': MAYOR
Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante condemned the shooting at a press briefing Sunday morning.
"The Jewish community in Montreal is currently under attack. It's a big issue, it's a big problem," she told reporters, adding that Montreal must remain "a city of peace."
"We can have opinions that differ [...] But there is no reason, there is no reason that justifies shooting at an elementary school, at our communities. An anti-Semitic act like this has no place in Montreal."
Former municipal opposition leader Lionel Perez also spoke Sunday. His child once attended Yeshiva Gedola, and he's also a former member of its board of directors.
"Unfortunately, history repeats itself over time," he said.
"Every time there are events in the Middle East, there are Jewish institutions that are targeted," he added. "That's the beast of anti-Semitism."
"They want to try to scare us into closing our schools, into not educating our children," said Perez. "They will fail."
Quebec Premier Francois Legault also issued a statement Sunday, calling for an end to hateful acts in his province.
"My heart goes out to Quebec's Jewish community, which has again been the victim of an attack on one of its schools. Every effort will be made to find and punish the culprits. The Quebec nation is a peaceful nation. Let's not import the hatred and violence we see elsewhere in the world," it reads.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has yet to make an official statement on the matter, but reposted a message from MP and House Leader Karin Gould on X, formerly known as Twitter.
"I am horrified to learn of another incident of gunshots fired at the same Jewish school in Montreal early this morning. Thank goodness no one was harmed, but this threatening anti-Semitic violence cannot go on," she wrote.
MP Marc Miller, who represents a downtown Montreal riding, deemed the shooting "cowardly." Fellow city Liberal lawmaker Anthony Housefather said antisemitic acts "cannot be allowed to become the new normal."
'MIND-BOGGLING' and 'DISTURBING'
"This is absolutely mind-boggling," said Michael Mostyn, chief executive officer of Jewish advocacy group B'nai Brith Canada, in a statement responding to Sunday's shooting.
"How in the world can this be going on in a civilized country? We certainly hope Montreal police can get to the bottom of this and keep the Jewish community safe."
The Canadian Muslim Forum, a national advocacy group, called the shooting "very disturbing" in a statement issued late Sunday afternoon.
The Forum also called on the SPVM to "restore a sense of security on the city's streets," adding it "calls for unity against all sorts of hate and violence."
Published with files from The Canadian Press and CTV's Matt Gilmour.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Teen was doing homework at family's Mississauga, Ont. restaurant when gunman opened fire: testimony
The 13-year-old sister of a young man killed in the attack on her family’s Mississauga restaurant in 2021 took the stand in a Brampton courthouse on Monday to describe the terrifying moments of coming under fire.
'Repetitive partisan conduct': Conservatives to force vote on ousting Speaker Greg Fergus
The federal Conservatives have advanced a motion that will force MPs to vote on whether to oust Greg Fergus as House of Commons Speaker, after MPs' deputy adjudicator ruled Monday that the Liberal member's allegedly errant partisan event invite required urgent attention.
Trial for B.C. man accused of killing, dismembering wife begins
The trial for a Langley man accused of killing his wife began Monday, with the prosecutor laying out a disturbing series of facts agreed upon by both Crown and defence.
Stars roar back to win Game 3 over Oilers
Jason Robertson's hat-trick goal midway through the third period broke a deadlock and proved to be the eventual winner as the Dallas Stars beat the host Edmonton Oilers 5-3 in Game 3 of the Western Conference Final to take a 2-1 series lead.
What a CBSA strike could look like, according to an expert
Slowed or interrupted travel, the passing of goods and significantly restricted borders should be expected if Canadian border workers take upcoming strike action.
WATCH Alta. man rescues wild foal trapped on steep cliffside
A man's daring rescue of a newborn wild foal that was trapped after falling down a steep embankment was caught on video over the weekend.
Severe thunderstorms, tornado watch in some areas of Canada. Here's where
Depending on where you live, you can expect to get a mixed bag of weather this week, as local forecasts predict heavy rain, strong wind, severe thunderstorms and even snowfall across some areas of Canada.
B.C. senior prepares to move due to devastating effects of fraud
A Courtenay, B.C., senior is downsizing and packing to move as she comes to accept she can no longer afford to stay in her home, after falling victim to a scam that robbed her of her life savings worth more than $100,000.
Israel close to approving Gaza reunification program before Rafah invasion: Miller
Immigration Minister Marc Miller says Israel seemed to be on the verge of approving a program to get Palestinian relatives of Canadians out of the Gaza Strip before the country's invasion of the town of Rafah.