Quebec City mosque shooter set off by Canada's open stance on refugees

The man responsible for killing six Muslims inside a Quebec City mosque had been anxious for months about his own family becoming victims of a terror attack, and that peaked when he saw reports the Canadian government was going to allow more refugees into the country, a court heard Friday.

A video ofAlexandre Bissonnette'sinterrogationwas playedin a Quebec City courtroom during the third day of sentencing hearings.

The public releaseof his three-hour conversation with Quebec City police Sgt. SteveGirard was the first insight into what Bissonnettewas thinking the day he left his parents' home, armed with two semi-automatic weapons, on Jan. 29, 2017.

The 28-year-old pleaded guilty in Quebec Superior Court in March to six counts of first-degree murder and six counts of attempted murder.

Dressed in a white jumpsuit, visibly agitated and crying throughout, Bissonnettetold Girardhe had watched television the day of the attackand had started drinking around noon.

"The Canadian government was, you know, going to take in more refugees, you know, those who couldn't go to the United States would end up here,"BissonnettetoldGirard.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeautweeted on Jan. 28 that Canada would welcome refugees leaving the United States, because of President Donald Trump's commitment to tougher immigration policies.

Bissonnetterecounted how, in the months prior, he had become obsessed with the idea a terrorist attack in Quebec was imminent.

Asked by Girardwhy he chose to carry out his attack at a mosque, Bissonnnette replied he wanted to save people, that "maybe, thanks towhatI did, there will be hundreds of people saved."

Bissonnette said he fearedterrorist attacks like the ones against citiesinEuropewould start happening in Canada.

He told Girardhe had been consumed for months by the thought hisparents and his twin brother would be "killed by terrorists. I had to do something, it was torturing me inside."

History of anxiety, depression

Several times during the interrogation, Bissonnette asked Girard ifhis parents had been attacked.

"I have the impression they're in danger, are they OK?"

Despite the officer's promise they were safe, Bissonnette was agitated."It's in my head and I can't get rid of it."

In the video, Bissonnetteexplained how he had dealt with depression and anxiety problems since the age of 14.

Mosque shooter said he wanted to prevent a terrorist attack

6 years ago

Duration 0:45

Alexandre Bissonnette told Sgt. Steve Girard he was trying save people when he shot and killed 6 people, and injured others, in a Quebec City mosque.

The morning after the attackwas supposed to be Bissonnette's first day back at his job, at Hma-Qubec, where he looked for potential donors for the organization, which manages the province's blood supply.

Three weeks earlier, Bissonnettereceiveda medical note grantinghim leave from work because of an anxiety disorder.

Hewas prescribed Paroxetine, he said, to replace theFluvoxaminepills he was taking, which he didn't think werestrong enough.

"I couldn't go on, with my job and my studies," he said.

Bissonnette had several suicidal episodes since high school, he said, but never told anyone.

"I always dealt with my own problems," he said, explaining that he didn't want to worry his parents.

When askedwhether he hadconsidered that he couldgo to prison for his crime, Bissonnette answered, "Well no, I was going to shoot myself."

Girard pressed on, asking him if he knew what he was about to do that day was wrong.

"It's not wrong, what I did. Like I told you, people have been saved, my family has been saved."

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