Family and friends gather to remember Nooran Rezayi one month after fatal police shooting

Family and friends of 15-year-old Nooran Rezayi gathered in Longueuil a month after his death.

Family and friends of 15-year-old Nooran Rezayi gathered one month after his tragic death in Longueuil to commemorate his life during an intimate ceremony.

Community organizer Mohamed Mimoun said it has been a very difficult time for the boy’s loved ones and that the family feels a sense of abandonment from both politicians and institutions.

“There’s been no political support, no visible solidarity. There was a brief mention at the National Assembly, which I shared with the family, but still, it’s been hard,” Mimoun said.

The teen was shot and killed on Sept. 21 by a Longueuil police (SPAL) officer during an intervention near Joseph-Daigneault and Monaco streets, after a 911 call reported a group of allegedly armed people in a public place.

Quebec’s police watchdog, the Bureau des enquêtes indépendantes (BEI), subsequently launched an investigation and later revealed the only firearm seized at the scene was the officer’s gun.

Investigators also retrieved a baseball bat, ski masks and a backpack. The officer was placed on leave for an indefinite period.

“We’re also trying to support the young people, to see if they need anything — to help them stay united, to stay close to one another. They’re only now beginning to feel the absence of their friend, and that’s very hard,” he said.

“For us, it’s important that they stay together. We don’t want anyone to exploit their frustration. We want them to stay organized and to have support if they need to talk. We’ve learned that many of them have experienced a lot of police interventions and didn’t know how to deal with it.”

Mimoun added that some of Rezayi’s friends have been blamed for his death, which has been very hard for them to process.

The vigil was organized by the Association de la sépulture musulmane au Québec, which has been supporting the family.

According to Mimoun, there has been no communication between the police and the family.

“Even elected officials apparently don’t have the right to visit the family because a complaint has been filed. They can’t seem to make the distinction between that and simply offering support,” he said.

Mimoun said the family is still waiting for answers and hopes the outcome of the investigation will be fair.