The late Faisel Hussain, believed to be responsible for Sunday’s shooting that killed 18-year-old Reese Fallon, a 10-year-old girl and injured 13 others, was well-known to Toronto police, a law enforcement source told the Toronto Sun.
The source says police are reviewing a file showing Hussain had shown “support” for a pro-ISIS website, as law enforcement seek to determine a motive. He had also been the part of previous police investigations by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Ontario Provincial Police and Toronto Police Service. Sources told the Sun that Hussain had spent time in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Hussain died after a shoot-out with police — though it is not yet known whether the 29-year-old he was shot or killed himself.
Hussain’s family released a statement expressing their “deepest condolences to the families” for their son’s actions.
“Our son had severe mental health challenges, struggling with psychosis and depression his entire life,” the statement reads.
But many are wondering how someone with such mental health issues ever owned a handgun — a restricted weapon in Canada that is usually difficult to procure unless you work for the military, police or a security service.
The incident has shocked Toronto, where residents have routinely pointed to U.S. mass shooting and said it couldn’t happen here.
Despina Tsaoussis, who works at a restaurant at the center of the shooting, told CBC News that Toronto has changed in the past few years.
“You would hear about different parts of America and crazy incidents like this happening, shooting in schools, in public areas,” she said. “In our minds, we had the feeling that Toronto was … always safe. But the last year, lot of things have been happening.”