Two suspects, including a male youth, have been arrested for a shooting at a Jewish girls’ school last Saturday.
Police were called to the Bais Chaya Mushka Elementary School in North York just after 4 a.m. for reports of a smashed window.
Officers discovered evidence of gunfire and determined shots had been fired by someone in a motor vehicle.
The school was empty at the time of the shooting and no one was harmed. A window was smashed after it was struck by a bullet.
Helder Antonio De Ameida, 20, of Toronto and a 17-year-old are facing several charges including two counts of Possession of a Loaded Prohibited/Restricted Firearm and Possession of Property Obtained by Crime over $5000.
The school is located in a heavily populated Jewish neighbourhood near Dufferin Street and Finch Avenue West and was the target of a similar shooting back in May. Police are still investigating whether the two shootings are related.
The motivation for the shooting has not been determined at this point.
“I can assure you that if we find evidence that this was motivated by hate, we will explore the aggravating nature of this with our partners in the Ministry of Attorney General while it proceeds through the court process,” said Deputy Chief of Police Robert Johnson.
When asked if they are looking for any additional suspects, Johnson said the investigation is still ongoing.
“I want to reassure everyone that you will continue to see our presence in the communities impacted by recent events,” said Chief Myron Demkie in a video message posted online.
At the time of the incident, Mayor Olivia Chow strongly condemned the shooting as a “horrific antisemitic” act.
“This is the second time the school has been targeted by this disgusting hate. I reiterate that the students of Bais Chaya Mushka have the right to learn, and the teachers have a right to teach, in safety and without fear of antisemitic attacks,” Chow said. “Jewish families and the Jewish community should not be made to fear for their safety.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau echoed similar sentiments, saying he was “very disturbed” to hear about the shooting.
