Teen sentenced for shooting at two synagogues in the Toronto area

TORONTO — An Ontario court has sentenced a young man, now 18, who pleaded guilty to shooting at two synagogues in the Greater Toronto Area in March. The two attacks raised widespread concern about the safety of religious institutions.

The court ordered him held in a custody facility for two years, followed by one year of community supervision. This is the maximum sentence available for the offences of which he was convicted under Canada's Youth Criminal Justice Act.

Police said the attacks caused property damage to both buildings but no injuries. Questions remain about the people who paid money to have the attacks carried out.

Two synagogues shot at in one night

The case dates to the night of March 6 and 7, 2026, when several gunshots hit the main entrance of the Beth Avraham Yoseph synagogue in Vaughan, north of Toronto.

Shortly afterward, another shooting targeted the Shaarei Shomayim synagogue in Toronto, causing damage to its exterior.

Investigators found that the two attacks happened within a short time of each other, an operation that alarmed residents and security officials.

Two people were inside the first synagogue when the shots were fired. A group of young people left a location near one of the synagogues less than ten minutes before the attack.

No one was hurt, despite the danger of firing bullets toward the buildings.

Guilty plea and sentence

The young man, who was 17 at the time of the two incidents, pleaded guilty to firearms offences and to shooting at the two buildings.

Justice Michael Alexander Townsend handed down the sentence on Tuesday, Nov. 10, after reviewing the evidence and the circumstances surrounding the attacks.

The judge described the attacks as planned, calculated and bold, and said the absence of injuries was a matter of luck.

The sentence also includes a two-year prohibition on possessing firearms and an order to provide a DNA sample.

The young man cannot be identified because of the legal protections granted to him under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

Investigation finds the teen received money to carry out the attacks

Court documents revealed that the young man received payment to carry out the two shootings, raising questions about whether other people were behind the planning and financing.

Authorities have so far been unable to identify who paid the money or why they chose the two synagogues as targets.

The information suggests the attacks may be linked to a pattern of crimes carried out for payment, but the investigation has not established the final motive.

The young man also was not charged with offences directly related to hate crimes, which does not rule out the possibility that others involved in the planning had antisemitic motives.

Jewish organizations call for prosecution of those behind the attacks

The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs and UJA Federation of Greater Toronto welcomed the sentence, calling it an important step toward justice for the affected families.

Both organizations stressed that the investigation must continue to identify those responsible for organizing and financing the attacks.

The Simon Wiesenthal Centre of Canada also called for clarification of who paid the teen to carry out the attacks and whether those involved are linked to other attacks.

The organizations said the two incidents left a significant psychological toll on members of the Jewish community, even though no one was physically injured.

Stepped-up security around religious institutions

The March attacks led Toronto Police Service and York Regional Police to increase patrols near synagogues and community centres.

The case also renewed debate about protecting places of worship and the risks of recruiting young people to carry out violence for money.

York Regional Police Chief Paulo da Silva said the sentence reflects the seriousness of the harm and fear caused by the attacks.

He stressed that violence and threats have no place in local communities, and that protecting residents and religious institutions remains a priority for authorities.

Although the court proceedings against the convicted young man have ended, the identity of those who commissioned the two attacks remains one of the main unanswered questions.