Canadian authorities have confirmed a shooting near a synagogue in Belleville, Ontario, was a “hate-motivated” attack targeting the Jewish community.

The shooting took place outside the Sons of Jacob Synagogue on Sunday night during Yom Kippur, the holiest night in the Jewish calendar.

Belleville police chief Murray Rodd said during a Thursday news conference that it was “a deliberate attack directed at members of the Jewish community”.

A police officer who was critically injured in the incident continued to fend off the attacker despite being shot multiple times, the police chief said.

The officer, identified as Constable Jeff Smith, suffered multiple gunshot wounds to his head and body, Rodd said. Smith remains in hospital and is expected to undergo multiple surgeries related to “serious head trauma”.

“He’s making progress every day,” the chief said.

Smith was shot in his car but sought to fend off the attack on the synagogue until a second officer arrived almost three minutes later.

“Despite suffering life-threatening injuries, within moments of encountering the armed suspect, Constable Smith exited his vehicle and engaged the attacker,” Rodd said.

The second officer, Constable Mike McCurdy, “joined the active gunfight, helping to bring the violent attack to an end”, the police chief said. McCrudy was not injured.

Both officers discharged their firearms, authorities said earlier this week.

Around 20 to 30 shots were fired, leaving the suspect in life-threatening condition and Smith in critical but stable condition.

The gunman was identified by police as 29-year-old Sean Ward from Quinte West, a community near Belleville and about 170km (105 miles) east of Toronto. He was sent to hospital with serious injuries and later died.

Rodd called the attempted attack a “hate-motivated crime”.

Toronto police have increased patrols outside synagogues and places of worship out of an abundance of caution.

Leaders of the Jewish community, as well as Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and other politicians, condemned antisemitic violence in the aftermath of the incident.

Noah Shack, CEO of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, said in a statement on Thursday that “if not for the extraordinary bravery of Constable Jeff Smith, Canadians would have experienced the type of mass-casualty terror attack our security services have warned is a realistic possibility”.

He called on Canadian leaders to “take urgent and concrete actions” against threats toward the Jewish community.

Carney wrote on X earlier this week that “Jewish people must be able to worship safely. To live free, open, proud Jewish lives.”