The assailant who killed at least six people at a mosque in Quebec City, Canada, Sunday night has been identified as Alexandre Bissonnette, according to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and a local television station, TVA Nouvelles.
The station identified the second accomplice as Mohamed Khadir, who was ruled out as a simple witness to the event.
Canadian provincial officials rushed to call the attack an act of terrorism on the Centre Culturelle Islamique de Québec. The province premiere, Phillipe Couillard, tweeted that he believed it was an act of terrorism.
The Quebec City attack came amid worldwide criticism of President Donald Trump for his executive order temporarily barring immigrants from seven countries that have ties to, or sponsor, Islamic terrorism. (RELATED: Daily Beast Falls For Fake News On Quebec Mosque Shooting)
A spokeswoman for the RCMP told The Daily Caller News Foundation she believed the television news report naming the two alleged assailants was “accurate.”
A member of the Mosque cautioned people from jumping to conclusions. “Please wait for the preliminary result before spreading rumors,” tweeted one member of the mosque.
Sunni and Shiite sects of Islam have opposed each other for centuries — often violently. In Iraq, attacks have been launched by both sides against their fellow Muslims by attacking places of worship, weddings and even funerals.
Couillard ordered all flags to be at half-staff and crowds arrived at the scene with flowers and candles.
Update: Canadian police clarified Monday that they now believe only one of the two suspects original detained were likely involved in the shooting. Initially, the police confirmed to TheDCNF Mohamed Khadir was part of the perpetration of the crime. He now appears to have been a witness to the crime allegedly perpetrated by Alexandre Bissonnette.
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