The gunman at the center of a seemingly random killing spree that claimed the lives of three people in Montreal and Laval over a 24-hour period was allowed to continue living outside a mental health facility, despite which a psychiatrist considered to be a “significant risk”. to public safety” because of his mental state last spring.
The shooter, Abdulla Shaikh, 26, was shot and killed by Montreal police Thursday morning in a motel parking lot during an operation related to the three murders. Investigators believe they were carried out at random by the young man.
Court records show Shaikh had a criminal record on charges that included assault and mischief.
But a decision by the Quebec Administrative Court raises questions about why he was allowed to continue living outside the direct supervision of mental health professionals despite being considered a danger to others.
The man’s psychiatrist told a hearing in March 2022 that Shaikh’s mental state had improved over the previous six months, but there were “lingering concerns”. These concerns included “the denial and trivialization of behavioral disorders, violence, and psychiatric pathology,” as well as “the long history of criminal charges of various kinds continues to be denied, which trivializes the future risks of Act”.
“The Commission accepts the evidence that [the accused] still represents, because of his mental state, a significant risk to public safety,” the March 29 decision stated.
A summary of his case showed that Shaikh was released from a mental health facility on January 25, 2021 and ordered to serve several conditions after being found not criminally responsible by reason of mental disorder for a crime in 2018.
During his annual release review, the psychiatrist raised concerns about Shaikh’s mental state and risk to public safety, citing his patient’s “unpredictability of aggressive behaviour” and lack of access to his family members by the treatment team. However, the doctor recommended that he remain out of the mental health institution under several conditions, including living in a place approved by the head of the hospital, complying with the recommendations of his treatment team, avoiding drugs, keeping the peace and urine tests.
The summary says the man showed up near the entrance to Montreal’s Trudeau Airport and lit his passport with a candle in July 2018. He also visited the airport two more times and was told to leave before he was arrested after trying to enter a secure area at Mirabel Airport.
SUSPECT DEAD BY POLICE
Shaikh was armed when he was shot and killed by police officers at the Pierre Motel in Montreal’s Saint-Laurent district around 7 a.m. Thursday. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Audrey-Anne Bilodeau, spokeswoman for the Sûreté du Québec (SQ), says police are still working to determine the motive for the murders.
She notes there is nothing to suggest the suspect, who suffered from “mental health issues,” knew the three victims.
Officers do not believe he had accomplices.
Because the shooting involves police officers, Quebec’s Bureau of Independent Investigations (BEI) has taken over the case.
“I CAN NOT BELIEVE”
Acting Montreal police chief Sophie Roy adds that the force worked “day and night” to find the suspect after the first shooting Tuesday night.
“We will continue to work hard to fight gun violence,” he said, offering his condolences to the families of the victims.
However, those who live in the area say the incident has made them think twice about how safe their neighborhood really is.
“I saw the police come out of the back of our building and I didn’t know what was going on,” said Beverley Nadeau, who lives nearby. “I can’t believe it, in our area, in our house. Now I’m a little worried about going out.”
The mayor of Montreal, Valérie Plante, took to Twitter to thank the different police forces involved in the operation on Thursday morning.
“It is during these times that we must all work together and trust our authorities in a common goal of ensuring the safety of our population,” he wrote. “I would like to extend my condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims.”
Once again, I would like to extend my condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims.
The investigation is ongoing to understand this tragic series of events.
— Valérie Plante (@Val_Plante) August 4, 2022
The EIB is asking anyone who witnessed the incident to contact investigators online.
THREE DEADLY SHOTS
The police intervention comes after three recent murders in Montreal and Laval.
The first incident occurred at 9:45 p.m. this Tuesday in the municipality of Saint-Laurent.
Police were called to the intersection of Jules-Poitras and Deguire boulevards near Roman-Zytynsky Park.
“Once on the scene, police found the victim shot and wounded in the upper body,” Montreal police spokeswoman Gabriella Youakim said. “The victim died at the scene.”
The man was later confirmed to be André Lemieux, the father of professional boxer David Lemieux.
Shortly after, at 10:50 p.m., officers were called to a shooting in the Ahuntsic-Cartierville neighborhood.
When police arrived at the intersection of rue Sauvé Ouest and rue Meilleur, near Parc Saint-Benoît, they found a 48-year-old man lying on the ground.
“His death was confirmed on the spot,” Youakim said. “No arrests have been made at this time.”
This victim has been identified as Mohamed Salah Belhaj, an intervention worker at the Albert-Prévost Mental Health Hospital.
Then, on Wednesday at 9:30 p.m., Laval police (SPL) were called to a shooting on Clermont Boulevard.
The victim, a 22-year-old man, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Laval police spokeswoman Stéphanie Beshara. His body was found next to a skateboard at the crime scene.
Police have not released his identity.