‘Radicalised’ Canadian Killed After Injuring Two Soldiers In Hit & Run

A Canadian driver died after he had been shot by police during a hit and run case. The officers identified the 25-year-old as someone who had earlier been reported to have been "radicalised."

The incident took place in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec where Martin Rouleau lived. According to the RCMP, provincial and federal law enforcement agencies already had prior knowledge about Rouleau. The RCMP's statement on Monday said that Rouleau had been known to federal authorities as well as to the Montreal team of integrated national security. The authorities earlier expressed concerns that Rouleau might have got radicalised. Rouleau is identified as Ahmad LeConverti (Ahmad the Converted) on his Facebook page, according to Radio Canada. CBC News reported that Rouleau's neighbours informed that he had converted himself to Islam around a year back.

Rouleau was rushed to hospital after he had been shot by the municipal police officers. He died there after a few hours. Rouleau injured a couple of soldiers during the hit and run. The officers shot Rouleau at the end of a high-speed chase. Provincial police presently in charge of the investigation as the case involved municipal officers. The incident took place at around 11:30 in the morning ET. A couple of Canadian Armed Forces members were injured after Rouleau had hit them by a car in a commercial plaza parking lot. One of the soldiers was critically injured. The names of the injured soldiers have not been released by police.

Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu police officers identified the car which hit the soldiers and chased it for kilometres. Rouleau, the driver of the car, eventually lost control of the car and flipped it into a ditch. Officers fired several shots after Rouleau had got out of the car. Officers reportedly found a knife on the ground but did not clarify how it was involved in the case. Sgt. Michel Brunet said that he would not be able to elaborate of Rouleau had the knife in his hands when he was shot.

National Post reported that Canada PM Stephen Harper had suggested to the House of Common that the incident might have a relation with terrorism. "Federal authorities have confirmed that there are clear indications that the individual had become radicalized. As Canada's national security agencies have said, Canadians should remain vigilant," PM spokesman Jason MacDonald said.

Contact the writer: s.mukhopadhyay@ibtimes.com.au