A 17-year-old boy from Waterloo has been arrested by the Hate Crime Unit in connection with a series of shootings at synagogues in Toronto and Vaughan that occurred in March 2026.
Arrest Made by Joint Forces
Toronto Police announced that officers from the Integrated Gun and Gang Task Force, supported by the Counter-Terrorism Security Unit (Hate Crime Unit), along with the York Regional Police Firearms Investigations Team and their Hate Crime Prevention Unit, made the arrest on Wednesday. The arrest follows a lengthy, joint-forces investigation into the two shooting incidents that terrorized Jewish places of worship.
Three weeks earlier, investigators had arrested an 18-year-old man and charged him with multiple offences related to the alleged hate crimes. Now, a second suspect has been identified and taken into custody.
Search Warrant Executed
On Wednesday, a search warrant was executed at a residence in Cambridge with the assistance of the Waterloo Regional Police Emergency Response Team. The suspect was taken into custody without incident.
The 17-year-old Waterloo boy has been charged with two counts of reckless discharge of a firearm, two counts of conspiracy to commit an indictable offence, and two counts of weapons trafficking.
Both Accused Are Youths
Neither of the two accused teenagers can be identified because their identities are protected under the Youth Criminal Justice Act. Both were under the age of 18 at the time of the offences.
The Shooting Incidents
The first shooting occurred just after midnight on March 6, 2026, in the area of Clark Ave. W. and York Hill Blvd. in Vaughan. York Regional Police officers found the front doors of a synagogue damaged by gunfire. Two occupants who were inside at the time miraculously escaped injury.
The second shooting took place the following night, shortly after midnight on March 7, in Toronto's Bathurst St. and Glencairn Ave. area. Officers discovered damage to the synagogue's front entrance consistent with gunfire. No one was inside at the time, and no injuries were reported.
The first suspect, an 18-year-old male of no fixed address, faces multiple charges including two counts of mischief to property over $5,000 and several weapons offences. He was 17 at the time of the incidents.
The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information is urged to contact police at 416-808-3500 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477) or online at www.222tips.com.
