In Quebec City, an outburst of respect for mosque shooting victims

Photo by Tyler Penney, QNet News " data-big="https://www.qnetnews.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/IMG_2411.jpg" /> Photo by Tyler Penney, QNet News" data-big="https://www.qnetnews.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/IMG_2408.jpg" /> Photo by Tyler Penney, QNet News" data-big="https://www.qnetnews.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/IMG_2405.jpg" />

By Tyler Penney

SAINTE-FOY, Que. – With the world’s eyes turned to Quebec City this week, people there paid their respects for the victims of the mosque shooting Sunday evening.

Six people were killed and 19 other injured in the shooting.

Alexandre Bissonnette has been charged with six counts of first-degree murder and five counts of attempted murder. Police are considering adding terrorism-related charges, according to the CBC.

Added to Canada’s Criminal Code following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, terrorism is defined as an act committed “for a political, religious or ideological purpose, objective or cause” that has “the intention of intimidating the public, or a segment of the public with regard to its security.”

On Tuesday, Chemin Sainte-Foy, one of the streets leading to the mosque in Sainte-Foy, a suburb of Quebec City, was closed for half a kilometre and was being used as an investigation site by police.

Felix Lindsey lives 15 minutes from the mosque. Interviewed by QNet News Monday night at the Canadian Hockey League Top Prospects game in Quebec City, he said he never thought something like this could happen.

“You can never really imagine someone like you and I doing such a thing. It’s tragic,” said Lindsey. “All the families that have to go through this – it’s upsetting.”

The Top Prospects game went ahead the day after the shooting, although earlier there had been speculation that it would be postponed. Before the game started, there was a moment of silence at the Centre Vidéotron in honour of the victims. “Our thoughts are with the victims, their families and their loved ones,” a sign in French on the arena’s giant scoreboard said. Loud applause erupted from the crowd after the moment of silence.

Even though Lindsey was one of those spectators, he had the shooting on his mind.

“It’s scary. It happened 15 minutes away from me, and I never thought something like this would happen so close to me.

“It really makes you think about what could be going on around you. It’s unfortunate that things happen like that in this world.”