Watch: Gunmen Open Fire on Chabad Jewish Girls School Shabbos Morning

TORONTO – Early Saturday morning, two gunmen opened fire on a Jewish girls’ school in suburban Toronto, marking the latest incident of antisemitic violence in Canada. The attack occurred at 4:52 a.m. at Bais Chaya Mushka Elementary School in North York, but fortunately, no injuries were reported.

Israel’s consul-general in Toronto, Idit Shamir, reported that the attackers fired five rounds. In a post on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, Shamir criticized the lack of deterrence following antisemitic attacks on Jewish students, suggesting it contributes to escalating violence. She also shared a video showing two men in black clothing exiting a black vehicle, approaching the school fence, and then opening fire before fleeing. The video’s origin, which has been widely circulated on X, remains unclear.

Toronto police Inspector Paul Krawczyk addressed the community’s concerns, emphasizing the police’s commitment to ensuring safety. While the hate crime unit is involved in the investigation, it is still too early to determine if the shooting qualifies as a hate crime.

Mayor Olivia Chow condemned the incident as “a despicable antisemitic act,” asserting that Jewish families should not have to fear for their safety. She confirmed that police presence around religious schools and synagogues will be increased and that she is coordinating with the police chief to enhance safety measures.

Michael Levitt, president and CEO of the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center, urged immediate action from city officials to protect the Jewish community. He called the attack a blatant attempt to intimidate Jews and declared that the community would not be cowed.

Premier Doug Ford labeled the attack a “gross display of antisemitism” and stressed the need to bring the perpetrators to justice. Federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre also condemned the violence, noting it as the latest in a series of attacks on Jewish schools in Canada and called for the arrest of those responsible.

The National Council of Canadian Muslims expressed their disgust at the incident, demanding that the perpetrators face severe punishment.

This shooting adds to a troubling pattern of antisemitic violence and bullying in Toronto and across Canada since Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7. Previous incidents include vandalism at Kehillat Shaarei Torah Synagogue in North York and an arson attack on a Jewish-owned grocery store. Additionally, multiple Jewish students have reported experiencing antisemitic bullying.

Recently, Abdirazak Mahdi Ahmed, 20, was arrested in connection with several shootings at Montreal Jewish schools in November.