On July 22, 2018, a member of the terrorist group ISIS, Hussain Faisal, dressed in an all-black shot indiscriminately at shops, hotels, and restaurants on the busy Danforth Avenue in Toronto, Canada killing 18-year-old Reese Fallon and 10-year-old girl Julianna Kozis. Ontario Special Investigations Unit (SIU), identified the shooter as 29-year-old Faisal Hussain born to Pakistani parents in Canada. In the unfortunate Toronto Shooting, two people; 18-year-old Reese Fallon and 10-year-old girl Julianna Kozis of Markham were killed and over a dozen others were injured. A shootout between Faisal Hussain and the police ensued resulting in the death of the perpetrator of yet another sepulchral mass shooting.
ISIS claimed responsibility for Faisal Hussain’s terrorist act in Danforth. The family of Faisal Hussain has since released a statement that expressed penitence for their son’s horrific action saying that he suffered from a wide array of mental diseases including but not limited to psychosis and depression. Investigators claim Faisal Hussain visited ISIS’ websites and possessed material that indicated radicalization.
Perfect Terrorist Recruit
The Toronto shooting suspect, had most identifying markers observed on most suicidal terrorists. Faisal Hussain is the right combination of impressionable, disgruntled and vulnerable to be recruited and coerced if not prompted to take the holy war to the streets. Investigations uncovered that Hussain was struggling to deal with the death of his sister from an accident as well as a brother in a comma making him very emotionally unstable. Financial constraints are also a clear indicator as he appears to come from a below average income household as well as the target form the Toronto shooting was what appears to be a high-end street. Moreover, having chronic mental health issues makes it easy for ISIS crusaders to impart onto him views and agendas that appear to give the shooter bogus purpose and drive. Lax gun laws in Canada appeared to have offered Faisal Hussain the last push he needed to go through with the vicious acts that left families devastated.
ISIS and other terror organizations have exploited individuals like Faisal Hussain into committing crimes, especially in the west to push their agenda and rally believers and recruits. Additionally, cases of isolated and indiscriminate mass shooting have increased especially in the Americas and Europe as a retribution for the West’s involvement in the fight against jihadist groups in the Middle East. It is crucial to note that some of this Jihadist groups use very intricate psyops in a bid to rally for financial supporters as well as foot soldiers in the seemingly ever-mutating face of terror organizations.
