The family of 29-year-old Faisal Hussain, the man named as the suspect in the Danforth shooting, said in a statement Monday that their son was "struggling with severe mental health challenges."
A 29-year-old man opened fire with a handgun in Toronto’s busy Greektown neighbourhood Sunday night, according to Ontario’s police watchdog, leaving at least two dead, and injuring 13 others.
On Monday afternoon, Ontario’s police watchdog named the suspect as Faisal Hussain, of Toronto.
The Special Investigations Unit said the shooting began around 10 p.m., when the gunman began firing at groups of several people as he made his way down Danforth Avenue in the city’s east end.
Toronto police located and exchanged gunfire with the suspect on Bowden Street, near Logan and Broadview avenues, according to the SIU. The man fled the area but was found dead in a nearby alley. It remains unclear if he died by suicide or was killed by police.
Toronto Chief of Police Mark Saunders confirmed Monday afternoon that an 18-year-old woman and 10-year girl were killed in the shooting. Those injured ranged in age from 10-59.
“We do not know why this has happened,” he told reporters.
The parents of Hussain said their son suffered from “severe mental health challenges.”
“We are at a terrible loss for words but we must speak out to express our deepest condolences to the families who are now suffering on account of our son’s horrific actions,” his family said in a statement.
“Our son had severe mental health challenges, struggling with psychosis and depression his entire life. The interventions of professionals were unsuccessful. Medications and therapy were unable to treat him. 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.”
“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,” the statement read.
Homicide Det. Sgt. Terry Browne called the shooting “tragic” and asked anyone with information or video to come forward.
“All of us as members of this community are shocked and alarmed and should be that this has occurred,” Browne said. “It’s a tragic incident. There are many, many, many moving parts and victims to this.”
“We are going to look into the background of that individual,” Browne said. “I’m quite certain there will be frenzy on social media about who this person is and what they belong to. I ask you to be cautious.”
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