The Daily Telegraph reported that the shooter was connected to the “incel” movement. Incel - a contraction of involuntary celibate - is an online subculture of typically heterosexual men frustrated by their inability to form romantic relationships, leading some of them to extreme acts of violence.
According to French-language Canadian broadcaster TVA Nouvelles, a manifesto apparently written by the shooter and sent to multiple news outlets railed against feminism, capitalism and the pornography industry.
The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA), a prominent Canadian civil society group, said it was “closely monitoring the situation”.
It said in a statement: “As we await more details about the nature of this horrifying incident, we urge community members to exercise vigilance.”
Quebec’s public security minister, Ian Lafreniere, said “people should not be going out”, adding: “We’re on the ground, and the crisis unit is being set up. For now, we don’t really know what the motive of this individual was.”
Quebec Premier Christine Frechette said she was “deeply shaken by the tragic events that occurred today in the Cote-des-Neiges area”.
She added: “It is essential to allow the authorities to do their work and to avoid speculation.”
- AFP
