Toronto shooting: gunman had history of psychosis and depression, family says

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jul/24/toronto-shooting-gunman-had-history-of-psychosis-and-depression-family-says

Statement says Faisal Hussain, 29, suffered a life of ‘struggle and pain’ but no cure could be found for his problems



The 29-year-old gunman behind an attack that killed two people and injured 13 others in Toronto suffered from psychosis and depression, his family has said.

Faisal Hussain died on Sunday after a brief exchange of gunfire with police. Minutes earlier the lone gunman had opened fire along one of the city’s liveliest stretches, seemingly shooting at random at pedestrians and into crowded restaurants.

It remains unknown whether Hussain took his own life or was killed by police.

Police, who said the attack spanned several city blocks, have so far declined to speculate on a motive for the attack.

In a statement, Hussain’s family expressed their condolences to those suffering on account of what they described as “our son’s horrific actions,” adding that they were “utterly devastated” by the news.

“Our son had severe mental health challenges, struggling with psychosis and depression his entire life,” they said. Professional help, medications and therapy had all failed to help him, they added.

“While we did our best to seek help for him throughout his life of struggle and pain, we could never imagine that this would be his devastating and destructive end,” they said. “Our hearts are in pieces for the victims and for our city as we all come to grips with this terrible tragedy. We will mourn those who were lost for the rest of our lives.”

A source who knows the family said Hussain worked in a retail job. The family had been coping with the death of Hussain’s sister in a car accident and a stroke that had left his brother hospitalised.

Hussain would often accompany his mother to the hospital to visit his brother, the source said.

Speaking to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, neighbours and friends described him as a quiet man who had spoken to some of them about his mental health issues.

Toronto police declined to say whether he was known to police prior to the attack, citing the ongoing investigation.

The shooting has rattled Canada’s largest city, coming just three months after the driver of a van ploughed into pedestrians on a city sidewalk, killing 10 people and injuring more than a dozen others.

“It’s almost inconceivable that these things can happen,” said John Tory, Toronto’s mayor. “We were so used to living in a city where these things didn’t happen and as we saw them going on in the world around us [we] thought they couldn’t happen here.”

He described Sunday’s shooting as an “attack against innocent families and our entire city.”

Two people were killed in the attack, including Reese Fallon, a recent high school graduate who had volunteered for Canada’s Liberal party and was due to attend an Ontario university in the fall. In a statement, her family said they were devastated.

“She was ... smart, passionate and full of energy. It is a huge loss,” said Canadian MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, who knew Fallon.

The other person killed in the attack – a 10-year-old girl from the Toronto area – has not yet been named.

The 13 wounded ranged in age from 10 to 59, and suffered injuries ranging from minor to life-changing, police said on Monday. The victims comprised of eight women and girls and seven men.

Video of the attack showed a man, dressed all in black, walking quickly down the sidewalk before stopping to fire three shots into what appeared to be a shop or a restaurant.

Diners had been out enjoying a balmy evening when shots began to ring out. As people scrambled to take cover, Andrew Mantzios watched the gunman crisscross Danforth Avenue, shooting into businesses. People were “falling all over the place – maybe seven, eight, nine of them”, he told the Globe and Mail.

“And then a lady tried to run and she fell down,” said Mantzios. “He turned around and shot her point blank, two or three times.”

Mantzios watched, horrified, as the man continued to make his way down the street. “Believe me, I’ve never seen anything like that,” he said. “I am still in shock.”

Ontario’s police watchdog said that the gunman was found dead near the site of the shootings after exchanging gunfire with two officers. An autopsy is expected to be carried out on the suspect on Tuesday.

Justin Trudeau said his thoughts were with those affected by what he called a “terrible tragedy” on social media. “The people of Toronto are strong, resilient and brave – and we’ll be there to support you through this difficult time,” the Canadian prime minister wrote on Twitter.