Halifax Mall Shooting Plot: Valentine’s Day Murder-Suicide Foiled By Police

Canadian police have thwarted a group of would-be murderers who plotted to open fire in a Halifax mall on Valentine’s Day in an attempt to kill as many civilians as possible before taking their own lives.

Three of the suspects were arrested while a fourth was found dead in a residence, according to Nova Scotia Royal Canadian Mounted Police Commanding Officer Brian Brennan.

At least two of the people in the plot had obtained weapons and planned on opening fire in a public place before killing themselves in a Valentine’s Day murder-suicide. Brennan said that their motivations were “not culturally based,” but elaborated no further on their motives other than to say that the group of individuals “had some beliefs and were willing to carry out violent acts.”

On Thursday morning, authorities received a tip that a 19-year-old man from Timberlea and a 23-year-old woman from Illinois not only had weapons, but planned to go to a public location in Halifax on Saturday and killing citizens and then themselves.

The Associated Press reported via Fox News that a senior police official had indicated that the two suspects were planning on going to a mall and killing as many people as possible before committing suicide.

The report reiterated that the planned attack was not culturally based, explaining, “Police and other officials said it was not related to Islamic terrorism.”

Police indicated that the suspects had access to firearms but did not offer any additional details. The two armed suspects arrested in connection with the shooting plot were on a chat stream sharing photos of mass killings while exhibiting an apparent obsession with death.

The American woman from Geneva, Illinois, was arrested at Halifax Stanfield International Airport along with a 20-year-old man at around 2 a.m. She later confessed to the plot. She had pre-composed a number of pronouncements to be tweeted following her death, according to the senior official who spoke on condition of anonymity, as they were unauthorized to speak publicly on the matter.

Two other Nova Scotia men, ages 17 and 20, were also involved in the plot, however, investigators are still trying to determine their roles. The 17-year-old had an outstanding warrant and was wanted for threatening to shoot up a high school.

Officer Brennan indicated that the authorities believed they had “apprehended all known individuals in this matter and have eliminated the threat” posed by those individuals. He also indicated that authorities were not seeking any additional suspects at this time in relation to the investigation.

In other crime news here on Inquisitr, a gunman in Georgia shot and killed five people, including several children.

What are your thoughts on the would be Valentine’s Day killers and their Halifax shooting plot?

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