Ontario's police watchdog has opened an investigation after an exchange of gunfire near a synagogue in Belleville left a police officer and another man injured on Sunday evening.

The incident unfolded at approximately 7:10 p.m. on September 20 in the area of Bleecker Avenue and Victoria Avenue, close to the Sons of Jacob Synagogue in Belleville, a city in eastern Ontario.

The Special Investigations Unit said there was an exchange of gunfire involving a Belleville Police Service officer and a man. Both were taken to hospital following the confrontation, with the man reported to have suffered life-threatening injuries.

Belleville Police initially released limited information, saying an officer had encountered an individual in the area and that both were injured during the interaction. The force confirmed that the SIU had been notified and said there was no ongoing risk to public safety.

The timing and location have drawn wider attention because the shooting occurred near the synagogue as members of the local Jewish community were gathering to observe Yom Kippur.

However, an important question remains unanswered: authorities have not established publicly whether the synagogue or its congregation was deliberately targeted.

What Investigators Have Confirmed

Early accounts of the incident contained a mixture of official information and witness reports, making it particularly important to distinguish between what investigators have confirmed and what remains under examination.

The SIU has confirmed that gunfire was exchanged between the officer and the man near the synagogue. The agency is now responsible for investigating the circumstances surrounding the police involvement.

Belleville Police's own initial statement was more limited. It said the officer encountered an individual near Bleecker and Victoria avenues at approximately 7:10 p.m. and that both sustained injuries requiring hospital treatment.

Local reporting from the scene described a substantial emergency response around the Sons of Jacob Synagogue, with police surrounding the area after witnesses reported hearing multiple gunshots.

The condition of the injured police officer was not immediately disclosed in the initial official information. The other man was reported by the SIU to be in life-threatening condition.

Investigators have not publicly identified the man involved or announced charges.

Those gaps matter because the investigation is at an early stage, and the sequence of events leading to the exchange of gunfire has not yet been fully established publicly.

Shooting Happened as Community Marked Yom Kippur

The location and timing have made the incident particularly sensitive.

The shooting occurred near Sons of Jacob Synagogue while members of the Jewish community were gathering during Yom Kippur, one of the most significant days in the Jewish religious calendar.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford condemned the shooting and expressed support for Belleville's Jewish community, the wounded officer and emergency responders.

But the presence of the synagogue should not be treated as proof of motive.

CityNews reported that investigators had not determined whether the synagogue was being targeted.

That distinction is important while authorities work to determine why the confrontation occurred, whether the location was significant to the individual involved and exactly what happened immediately before shots were fired.

No confirmed motive had been publicly announced in the information available early Monday.

Why Ontario’s SIU Is Investigating

The involvement of the Special Investigations Unit is a standard accountability process in serious incidents involving police officers in Ontario.

The SIU is an independent civilian agency with jurisdiction to investigate police-related incidents involving death, serious injury, allegations of sexual assault or the discharge of a firearm at a person.

Its involvement does not by itself establish wrongdoing by the officer.

Instead, investigators gather evidence and determine what occurred and whether there are reasonable grounds to believe an officer committed a criminal offence.

That process is particularly relevant in Belleville because the incident involved an exchange of gunfire and serious injuries.

Belleville Police said after notifying the SIU that it was unable to provide additional information at that stage.

The investigation is therefore likely to determine several details that remained unclear immediately after the shooting, including the circumstances of the initial encounter, how the exchange of gunfire began and whether the synagogue's location was connected to the incident.

For now, the confirmed picture remains limited: a Belleville police officer and a man were injured during an exchange of gunfire near Sons of Jacob Synagogue on Sunday evening, the SIU is investigating, and authorities have not established publicly that the synagogue was deliberately targeted.