Still sorting the facts
No evidence linking ISIL to deadly Toronto shooting, police chief says
Toronto’s police chief said Wednesday that there was no evidence to support a claim by the Islamic State terror group that it was behind a deadly shooting in the city’s Greektown district. Mark Saunders said his force will continue to “explore every investigative avenue,” but said there’s no information linking ISIL to the attack. The Islamic State claimed that one of its “soldiers” carried out the attack in response to its calls to target citizens of the U.S-led coalition battling it. The claim appears on one of the group’s social media channels, and a security member of the group was quoted speaking to the group’s Amaq news agency. Saunders said all areas of his force have been involved in the investigation into Sunday night’s shooting, adding that police have received help from law enforcement partners “at every level.” “At this stage, we have no evidence to support these claims,” he said in a statement. An 18-year-old woman and a 10-year-old girl were killed in Sunday night’s shooting, and 13 others were injured. The gunman, who has been identified as 29-year-old Faisal Hussain, was found dead nearby. Hussain’s parents have said their son had severe mental health issues all his life and had not responded to treatment. Saunders said police will be interviewing those who knew Hussain, reviewing his online activity and “looking into his experiences with mental health.” A spokeswoman for federal public safety minister Ralph Goodale said currently “there is no national security nexus” to Hussain. Goodale has also said Hussain was not on any federal watchlists associated with national security. Ten-year-old Julianna Kozis of Markham, Ont., and 18-year-old Reese Fallon of Toronto were killed in the shooting that took place in a neighbourhood known for its restaurants and independent businesses.