Man gets five and a half years for role in shooting at Montreal Jewish school

On 9 November 2026, a Quebec court in Montreal sentenced Abdirazak Mahdi Ahmed, 23, to five and a half years in prison for his part in the shooting at Yeshiva Gedola, a Jewish school in the Côte-des-Neiges neighbourhood. The school was empty when gunfire struck its entrance on 12 November 2023. No one was hurt. ¹²³

The sentence both sides sought

In September 2026, Ahmed pleaded guilty to recklessly discharging a firearm. The prosecution and defence jointly recommended a 66-month sentence. The court accepted their recommendation. The sentence includes credit for the time Ahmed has spent in custody since his arrest in May 2024. ¹²⁵

Ahmed’s plea established that he took part in the shooting on 12 November. The facts agreed in court at the September hearing did not specify his exact role. Prosecutors also said they had insufficient evidence to prove an antisemitic motive beyond a reasonable doubt. ²³⁶

Two dates in the same neighbourhood

Three days earlier, on 9 November 2023, shots had been fired at two Jewish schools in Côte-des-Neiges. They were Yeshiva Gedola and Azrieli Talmud Torah. The borough council minutes distinguish those shootings from the 12 November shooting at Yeshiva Gedola. Prosecutors said there was no evidence linking Ahmed to the shootings on 9 November. ¹²⁴

The community’s response

When the court handed down the sentence, B’nai Brith Canada welcomed the work that had brought one of those involved in the attack to justice. A representative of the organisation also spoke to JNS about the fear such violence causes among Canadian Jews. ¹³

Sources

1. Jessica Russak-Hoffman, « Man sentenced to 66 months for shooting at Montreal yeshiva », JNS, 9 novembre 2026, https://www.jns.org/news/world/man-sentenced-to-66-months-for-shooting-at-montreal-yeshiva
2. Joseph Marshall, « Yeshiva Gedola Shooter Sentenced », Montreal Jewish News, 9 novembre 2026, https://montrealjewishnews.com/3498-2/
3. Ynet, « Canada: 5 years in prison for man who shot at Torah study center a month after Oct. 7 », 10 novembre 2026, https://www.ynetnews.com/article/h6alhadvb
4. Arrondissement de Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, procès-verbal du conseil du 5 février 2024, résolution sur la sécurité des communautés, https://ville.montreal.qc.ca/documents/Adi_Public/CA_Cdn/CA_Cdn_PV_ORDI_2024-02-05_19h00_FR.pdf
5. The Times of Israel, « Man jailed for opening fire at Montreal school in November 2023 », 10 novembre 2026, https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/man-jailed-for-opening-fire-at-montreal-school-in-november-2023/
6. Le Journal de Québec, « Un véhicule volé pour aller tirer sur une école juive à Montréal », 9 septembre 2026, https://www.journaldequebec.com/2026/09/09/un-vehicule-vole-pour-aller-tirer-sur-une-ecole-juive-a-montreal

The story in 30 seconds

Read the main facts at a glance and share the link.

1. On 9 November 2026, a Quebec court sentenced Abdirazak Mahdi Ahmed to 66 months in prison, with credit for time already spent in custody.
2. The sentence concerns the 12 November 2023 shooting at Yeshiva Gedola in Montreal. The building was empty and no one was hurt.
3. Prosecutors said they could not prove an antisemitic motive. B’nai Brith Canada welcomed the sentence.

Share Share Instagram WhatsApp Telegram X Facebook E-mail Copy link Download summary card (image) Story (9:16)

Spotted an error or a missing source? Write to us : we publish corrections in the article.