Toronto police announced Friday that an 18-year-old suspect has been taken into custody and charged following two separate incidents in which members of the Jewish community were targeted with replica firearms.

Authorities identified the suspect as Ruslan Novruzov, who is facing four counts of assault with a weapon and two counts of possessing a weapon for a dangerous purpose. Officials said the case was handled by specialized units within the department, including counter-terrorism and firearms investigators.

In one of the incidents, three individuals standing outside the Chasidei Bobov synagogue in North York were fired upon Thursday night with what police described as a replica weapon.

One of the victims was hit and suffered minor injuries, which police said were likely caused by a pellet fired from a passing vehicle.

Investigators also allege that Novruzov was involved in a separate drive-by attack the previous week, during which a gel pellet gun was used to target visibly Jewish residents in a northern section of the city known for its concentration of synagogues and Jewish schools.

Those victims also reported minor injuries, and police later circulated video footage of the suspected vehicle as part of the investigation.

A senior police official said Friday that the incidents appear to have been intended to instill fear within the Jewish community and emphasized that the use of imitation weapons does not diminish the seriousness of the crimes.

“We recognize that Jewish residents have been living with a heightened sense of fear due to repeated incidents targeting their community, and this only adds to that, which is unacceptable,” said acting Deputy Chief Joe Matthews. “While the weapons used were imitation firearms, the impacts are very real. These are criminal acts that we allege were meant to intimidate and cause fear.”

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney welcomed the arrest, expressing support for law enforcement as the case moves forward.

“Law enforcement agencies have my full support as they investigate, and as they work to bring justice for the victims and the wider Jewish community,” Carney said.

{Matzav.com}