Wife of wounded Belleville police officer says he faces 'long, difficult road' | CBC News
Jeff Smith was outside a Jewish synagogue when a suspect fired on him, investigators say
The wife of the police officer wounded in Sunday evening's shootout near a Belleville, Ont., synagogue is speaking out about what she's calling "the scariest and darkest day" of her family's life.
"I don’t know where to begin," Ashley Smith, the wife of Const. Jeff Smith of the Belleville Police Service, wrote in a Facebook update dated Tuesday night.
"My words aren’t strong or steady yet, but I knew I needed to find them. I needed to use my voice for my dear Jeff, until he is able to use his," she wrote.
A Yom Kippur service was getting underway inside the Sons of Jacob Synagogue shortly after 7 p.m. Sunday when a suspect later identified as Sean Ward allegedly opened fire on Smith with a shotgun, according to the Belleville Police Service and Ontario's Special Investigations Unit (SIU).
Smith had been stationed outside the synagogue, which had requested police protection.
Precisely what happened before Smith was shot at is not yet known. The SIU — the civilian agency that investigates police conduct during officer-involved shootings and other serious incidents in Ontario — is focused on what led Smith and a second officer to fire their weapons.
The Belleville Police Service will look into Ward's motives, Kristy Denette, an SIU spokesperson, said Monday.
CBC InvestigatesSynagogue shooting suspect's online username alluded to killing Jews weeks before attack, friend says
Ward, 29, from nearby Quinte West, died following the incident, the SIU confirmed on Tuesday. He got as close as half a block to the synagogue, according to Denette.
Norm Weddum, the synagogue's president, said one of the building's street-facing windows was left with several bullet holes. Dozens of bullets also damaged nearby homes and vehicles, according to investigators.
'This is not going to stop us,' Belleville, Ont., synagogue president vows after shooting incident
Dive deeper
- Jeff Smith was outside a Jewish synagogue when a suspect fired on him, investigators say
- The wife of the police officer wounded in Sunday evening's shootout near a Belleville, Ont., synagogue is speaking out about what she's calling "the scariest and darkest day" of her family's life.
- "I don’t know where to begin," Ashley Smith, the wife of Const. Jeff Smith of the Belleville Police Service, wrote in a Facebook update dated Tuesday night.
- "My words aren’t strong or steady yet, but I knew I needed to find them. I needed to use my voice for my dear Jeff, until he is able to use his," she wrote.
- A Yom Kippur service was getting underway inside the Sons of Jacob Synagogue shortly after 7 p.m. Sunday when a suspect later identified as Sean Ward allegedly opened fire on Smith with a shotgun, according to the Belleville Police Service
More for you
