The lone suspect accused of opening fire inside a Quebec City mosque during Sunday evening prayers visited the mosque three days before the massacre and spoke with one of the worshippers, according to an attendee.
Houssine el Manoug says Alexandre Bissonnette walked into the Centre Culturel Islamique de Quebec wearing a long black coat and carrying a backpack on Thursday, and Bissonnette struck up an odd conversation with him.
“When I wanted to get out of the mosque I said, ‘salem,’ which means hello in our language. And he answered ‘salut,’” el Manoug told CTV News. “And then he started talking about something else. He told me, ‘I love kabab and shisha.’”
According to el Manoug, Bissonnette then asked for some money before leaving the mosque.
After news broke of the shooting, el Manoug searched Bissonnette’s name on Google and immediately recognized him.
“I found the picture of the guy. It was the same one,” el Manoug said.
The chilling realization made him wonder why the suspect visited the mosque earlier in the week.
“I would say that maybe that day, he was trying to do his thing and he couldn’t. Maybe.”
Bissonnette, 27, has been charged with six counts of first-degree murder and five counts of attempted murder in connection with the attack. Police are not looking for any other suspects.
Investigators have since wrapped up their investigation and re-opened the mosque to worshippers, who have returned to their sacred space to grieve. On Wednesday, groups of mourners entered the mosque to pray, weep and console each other.
Signs of the tragedy are still apparent inside. Bloodstains spatter the carpet of the prayer area and bullet holes are found throughout the space.
Mosque leaders toured a CTV reporter through the mosque to explain the importance of the space.
“This is where my kids used to play or to talk, to chat with people. And myself, I used to sit in that corner where my brothers have been killed,” said Ahmed El Rafai.
A public funeral will be held for three of the victims in Montreal on Thursday. Another will be held later in the week in Quebec City.
With a report from CTV’s Genevieve Beauchemin
