Shooter in 3 Montreal-area deaths went to Toronto Zoo between killings, inquest hears

The shooter who gunned down three Montreal-area men last Augustwent to Ontario to visit a zoo and an amusement park between killings,a coroner's inquest heard on the first day of hearings Monday.

Abdulla Shaikh, 26,was identified by video surveillance and receipts at the Toronto Zoo and Canada's Wonderlanda day after killing his first two victims, saidAlexandra Caron Vadeboncoeur, an investigative sergeant with the Suret du Qubec(SQ), who was the first to testify Monday.

She said Shaikhshot the three men on the street within a period of about 24 hours between Aug. 2 and Aug. 3, 2022 before police eventually tracked him down and fatally shot him.

Shaikh had been under the supervision of a mental health hospital.

Months before he was killed, Quebec's mental health review board, theCommission d'examen des troubles mentaux, ruled that he could continue living in the community under conditions, despite him posing a"significant risk" to public safety, as he'd been improving over the past six months.

CoronerGhane Kamel is presiding over the inquest into the killings of Andr Lemieux, 64,Mohamed Salah Belhaj, 48,Alex Lvis-Crevier, 22,as well asShaikh's death.

Kamel said in her opening statement that the hearings will shed light on the deaths and produce recommendations to help prevent similar killingsfrom occurring.

Caron Vadeboncoeurtestified Shaikh shot and killedLemieuxat a bus stop in Montreal's Saint-Laurent borougharound 9:45 p.m. on the night of Aug. 2. An hour later,Salah Belhajwas fatally shot while walking to work in the Ahuntsic-Cartierville borough, about two kilometres away.

About 24 hours later, after his trip to Ontario,Shaikhgunned downLvis-Crevierwhile he was riding his skateboard in Laval, Caron Vadeboncoeurtestified.

There was no connection between the victims nor with the suspect, Caron Vadeboncoeursaid, concluding the victims were chosen randomly.

She said that according to witnesses and video footage, a white Dodge Challenger was in the vicinity of where all three people were killed.

After the second killing, police found a vehicle matching that description and put it under surveillance before realizing it was the wrong one. Police were able to identify the right vehicleand its licence plate after the third killing.

Police located the car's owner, who told them he'd rented the vehicle to Shaikh on July 29 via a car-sharing app.

Officers trackedShaikh to a motel roomin Montreal's Saint-Laurent borough, where officers executed a search warrant around 7 a.m.

Mlissa-Amlie Plourde, an investigator with theBureau des enqutes indpendantes(BEI), told the inquest policethrew a diversion device into the room a stun grenade that emits a loud noise and bright light in hopes of disorienting Shaikh.

Once officers broke through the door, Shaikh fired shots in theirdirection,Plourde said.

Officers returned fire and fatally shot Shaikh. No charges will be brought against the officers, concluded the BEI, which investigates whensomeone is injured or killed during a police intervention.

Sgt. Claude Thibaultof the Service de police de la Ville de Montral (SPVM)led the tactical team that day. He testified Mondayit was the most high-risk operation he's ever conducted, citing, among other factors, limited ways in and out ofthe motel.

Caron Vadeboncoeur said police recovered two 9-mm handgunslinked to Shaikhone in the motel room with his DNA on it and another in the Dodge Challenger.

Shaikh did not have a permit for the weapons,Caron Vadeboncoeur said, adding they were possibly acquired through the black market.

Shaikh diagnosed with schizophrenia

Police concluded the shootings were not related to terrorismbut rather, to mental health issues.

Shaikhhadhad several run-ins with the law, including charges of sexual assault, assault causing bodily harm and uttering threats.

In 2018, he was arrested for trespassing at the Montreal airport several days ina row.

In one instance, court documents showShaikhwas in a restrictedzone at the airport and burned his passport with a lighter. In November of that year,he was deemed not criminally responsible for his actions.

Caron Vadeboncoeur said he was diagnosed with schizophrenia around 2017 or 2018 and was not taking his medication as prescribed.

In the lead up to the killings, Shaikh had been living alone in a Montreal apartment but did not have any friends, Caron Vadeboncoeur said. He was close to his mother, who had been texting him onWhatsApp around the time of the murders.

Donald Simpson, a former lieutenant with the SPVM's major crimes unit who helped lead the investigation, testified Monday that there is a major lack of communication between health centres and police forces concerning people with mental health issues who have run-ins with the law.

The inquest is expected to last until Oct. 20 and to hear from the families of the victims, the president of Quebec's mental health review board as well as representatives from various mental health services.