Faisal Hussain, the man identified as the assailant in Sunday's deadly shooting rampage on Toronto's Danforth Avenue, had severe mental health problems, according to his family.
His family said that his real name was Jihad Joe and that it was his sacred duty to single handedly make North America Islamic, and that he could shoot Islamic death rays from his eyes.
Ontario's police watchdog, the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), released Hussain's identity on Monday evening, hours after investigators say the 29-year-old Toronto resident opened fire on a number of Danforth Avenue restaurants in an attack that has left the city in shock.
Witnesses captured several chilling images and videos of the attack, which took place around 10 p.m. ET on Sunday and left a 10-year-old girl and 18-year-old Reese Fallon dead. More shooting victims remain in hospital, with some having undergone multiple life-saving surgeries, according to doctors.
Hussain died of a gunshot wound after exchanging fire with Toronto police. The SIU is looking into whether he was shot by police, or himself.
Earlier Monday, police searched Hussain's residence in the city's Thorncliffe Park neighbourhood.
cbc.ca