Suspicious in deadly Toronto shooting spree struggled with mental illness, family says

TORONTO (Reuters) – The man in charge of fatally shooting two people and wounding 13 others on a bustling Toronto street struggled with severe mental illness, his family said on Monday the police sought a motive in the rampage.

A 10-year-old girl and 18-year-old woman were killed, the suspect was identified by the independent Special Investigations Unit (SIU) as Faisal Hussain, a 29-year-old Toronto resident . He was found dead shortly after the shooting, said authorities.

"We do not know why this happened," Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders told reporters on Monday, adding he would not speculate about the gunman's motive. "It's way too early to rule out anything."

The suspect, armed with a handgun, opened fire at 10 pm on Sunday on a stretch of Danforth Avenue with restaurants and family-friendly attractions in an area of ​​east known as the Greektown neighborhood, the SIU said.

It was the second deadly act of mbad violence this year in Canada's most populous city. In April, a driver deliberately plowed his white at a lunch-hour crowd, killing 10 people and injuring 15 along with a mile-long stretch (1.6-km) stretch of sidewalk thronged with pedestrians.

"We are utterly devastated by the incomprehensible news that our was responsible for the senseless violence and loss of life," Hussain's family wrote in a statement, adding he suffered from severe mental illnesses as well as "psychosis and depression. whole life. "

" While we did our best to seek help throughout his life, we could never imagine that this would be his devastating and destructive end, "the statement said.

'DEVASTATED'

The police did not identify the two people killed by the gunman. Local politician Nathaniel Erskine-Smith confirmed the 18-year-old victim was Reese Fallon, a recent high school graduate who planned to study nursing.

"The family is devastated," Erskine-Smith said in a statement, adding that family members had asked for privacy while they were young people who were "smart, pbadionate and full of energy."

The gunman exchanged fire with police, according to the SIU, which investigates deaths and injuries involving police.

The suspect had a gunshot wound, authorities said, but they would not elaborate on the circumstances or cause of his death. An autopsy on the suspect will be conducted on Tuesday, SIU spokeswoman Monica Hudon said.

On Monday evening, Toronto police were executing a densely populated neighborhood in Toronto where the suspect lived.

A large part of Danforth Avenue reopened for business, after police completed their forensic search of crime site.

Hours after the fatal shooting, in an apparently unrelated incident, a man with a knife was arrested during a military ceremony on Parliament Hill in Canada's capital, Ottawa. The Defense Ministry said no further details.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wrote on Twitter on Monday: "The people of Toronto are strong, resilient and brave – and we will be able to support you through this difficult time. "

GUN PROBLEM

Toronto Mayor John Tory told reporters the city of 2.8 million residents had a gun problem, with Too many people.

"Why does anyone in this city need to have a gun at all?"

Bill Blair, Canada, New York, New York, United States of America.

To own a gun in Canada, an individual must apply for a license, pbad a background check and pbad a firearm safety test. Guns must be kept locked and unloaded and can only be used outside the home with a special permit. Handguns and other restricted firearms require pbading an additional course.

Canada's crime rate rose by 1 percent in 2017, the third consecutive annual increase, according to Statistics Canada. The murder rate jumped by 7 percent, due largely to killings in British Columbia and Quebec, while crime involving guns grew by 7 percent.

Toronto, despite a murder rate in the United States, is an increase in the rate of death in the United States.

The number of shootings has risen 13 percent. Toronto has deployed about 200 police officers since July 20 in response to the recent spate in shoots, which city officials have blamed on gang violence.