Parents of man charged in Quebec City mosque shooting make 1st public statement
Posted January 31, 2018 4:56 am.
Last Updated January 31, 2018 6:09 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
QUEBEC CITY, Que. (NEWS 1130) – The parents of the man accused in the slayings at a Quebec City mosque have made their first public statements since his arrest.
In a letter to Radio-Canada published today, Manon Marchand and Raymond Bissonnette describe the killings at the Islamic cultural centre in Quebec City on Jan. 29, 2017 as inexcusable and totally inexplicable.
Alexandre Bissonnette is facing 12 charges, including six counts of first-degree murder, and his trial is expected to begin in late March.
His parents write they feel like they’re living a nightmare, but add the accused is their son, so they love him and he will remain part of the family.
They also told the French-language broadcaster in a phone interview that they visit their son every week at the detention centre in Quebec City, where Alexandre Bissonnette has been since his arrest, but they don’t know if they’ll attend the trial.
The family says they stayed away from the media in the past year and instead sent a letter of condolence directly to the families of the victims of the attack through the mosque.
Since the tragedy, the couple and the suspect’s twin brother have been receiving psychological help and they also thanked those who’ve supported them.
They say they live in fear of reprisals.
