Jewish-Owned Toronto Bakery Chain Targeted in Suspected Shooting

The Toronto Police Hate Crime Unit and Gun and Gang Task Force are investigating.

By United with Israel Staff

Toronto police are investigating after two locations of a Jewish-owned bakery chain were damaged Sunday morning, including one where a window was apparently shattered by gunfire, amid mounting concerns over antisemitic violence in the city.

Police were called at approximately 8:15 a.m. to Kiva’s Bagel Bar near Yonge Street and St. Clair Avenue West after a broken window was discovered. Investigators found evidence indicating that shots had been fired at the business. No one was injured.

A second Kiva’s location near Bathurst Street and Steeles Avenue West was also found with a smashed window, although police said that damage did not appear to have been caused by gunfire.

The Toronto Police Hate Crime Unit and Gun and Gang Task Force are investigating.

“We understand that this is concerning for those that work and live in this area, especially members of the Jewish community, and we have all the resources available to thoroughly investigate this matter,” Duty Insp. Scott Bradbury said.

The incidents forced the bakeries to close while police investigated, further unsettling members of Toronto’s Jewish community.

“The joy and feeling of security amongst community members was ‘shattered’ along with the windows,” Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs CEO Noah Shack said.

“It’s alarming for residents heading over to grab bagels on a Sunday morning to instead be greeted by police tape,” he added. “Thankfully no one was injured, but of course concern [is there] about how this could continue to escalate.”

Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow condemned what she described as “targeted attacks” against the Jewish-owned chain, calling them “vile” and “unacceptable.”

“We all have a responsibility to stand against hate,” Chow wrote on X. “I will always stand with Toronto’s Jewish community against antisemitism.”

“We will continue to invest in community safety and the necessary work of confronting hate wherever it exists,” she added.

Chow’s statement comes after the mayor faced criticism from members of the Jewish community over a series of remarks and actions related to Israel and the Gaza war.

Last year, Chow publicly accused Israel of committing “genocide” in Gaza while discussing her mother’s experiences with famine during the Japanese invasion of China in World War II.

“The genocide in Gaza impacts us all,” Chow said at the time. “And I will speak out when children anywhere are feeling the pain and violence and hunger.”

She also drew criticism after enthusiastically repeating the slogan “Free Palestine” when prompted during a Toronto Pride parade.

Sunday’s incidents come amid a broader series of attacks targeting Jewish institutions in the Toronto area.

In March, two Toronto-area synagogues were damaged by gunfire in separate incidents within hours of each other, marking the third reported shooting targeting a synagogue in the area in less than a week.

Police have not yet announced a motive in Sunday’s incidents or determined whether the two damaged Kiva’s locations were targeted because of their Jewish ownership. The Hate Crime Unit’s involvement remains part of the ongoing investigation.