The Sunday News
Toronto – A senior police official said on Friday police foiled a plot by two suspects who were planning on going to a mall and killing as many people as they could before killing themselves on Valentine’s Day in Halifax. The official told The Associated Press the suspects were on a chat stream and were apparently obsessed with killing and death and had many photos of mass killings. Police and other officials said it was not related to Islamic terrorism.
The official said one of the two suspects, a 23-year-old American woman from Geneva, Illinois, was arrested at Halifax’s airport and confessed to the plot. The official said she wrote a number of pronouncements to be tweeted after her death.
Police said the suspects had access to firearms, but did not elaborate.
The official said the 19-year-old male shot himself to death after police surrounded his parents’ home. The official said after police were tipped off about the plot they surrounded his home. Police saw two people leave the house who they later determined were his parents. The official stopped the parents on a traffic check before calling the man. As the man told police that he didn’t have any guns and he was on his way out of the house he shot himself, the official said.
The official spoke anonymously because they were not authorised to speak publicly.
Police earlier said two other Nova Scotia men, ages 20 and 17, were also involved, although investigators are still trying to determine what their role was.
“Had they been able to carry out their intentions the possibility for a large loss of life was definitely there,” Nova Scotia Royal Canadian Mounted Police Commanding Officer Brian Brennan said.
“We believe we have apprehended all known individuals in this matter and have eliminated the threat. We are not seeking any further suspects at this time in relation to this investigation.”
Canadian Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney applauded the work of police in Canada and Geneva, Illinois and well as border officials in a statement. – AP
