March 19, 2012
French media have reported that a shooting outside a Jewish school in Toulouse France left at least four people dead on Monday morning. French authorities report that the shooter opened fire at the entrance to the OzarHa’Torah school, and then chased students into the school building. One adult and three children have died, and five others were wounded. A seventeen-year-old is reported in critical condition.
French policehave not excluded the possibility that this appalling crime may have been committed by the same person who was responsible for last week’s murder of French soldiers in Toulouse and Montauban.
DavidKoschitzky, Chair of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, made the following statement in response to the shootings:
"The Canadian Jewish community shares the terrible pain of the families of thevictims of the massacre at Ozar Ha’Torah. This crime is all the more grotesque because the murderer targeted children.
"We are confident that French authorities will do everything necessary to identify and bring to justice those responsible.”
For further information, please contact:
Steve McDonald
Associate Director, Communications
The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs
416-953-4417
smcdonald@cija.ca