Quebec Police Watchdog Completes Investigation into Fatal Shooting of Teenager
Nearly six months after a Longueuil police officer shot and killed 15-year-old Nooran Rezayi during a response to a 911 call, Quebec's independent police watchdog has announced the completion of its investigation. The Bureau des enquêtes indépendantes (BEI) confirmed on Wednesday that it has submitted its comprehensive report to the Directeur des poursuites criminelles et pénales (DPCP), the provincial prosecution service that will now decide whether criminal charges should be laid against the involved officers.
Community Mourning and Public Outrage
Rezayi's death on September 21, 2025, sent shock waves through Montreal's South Shore community. Hundreds attended his funeral, including many teenagers and residents who expressed outrage over the killing despite not knowing the victim personally. The 15-year-old, born in Quebec to a family originally from Afghanistan, was killed in the borough of St-Hubert when Longueuil police officers responded to a 911 call reporting a "group of armed people" in a residential area. The BEI later confirmed that Rezayi and the friends he was with were not armed.
Security camera footage released by the Rezayi family's lawyers shows the teenager and approximately half-a-dozen friends sitting on a curb at a street corner shortly before officers arrived. Moments later, most of them scatter and run from the scene as police approach. In the video, an officer can be heard shouting "Get down on the ground!" three times before two gunshots ring out approximately eight seconds after the police cruiser's arrival.
Investigation Details and Legal Proceedings
The BEI stated that its confidential report includes witness statements, interviews with the officers involved, and physical evidence gathered during the investigation. The agency emphasized that no further details would be released publicly. Two expert reports remain pending and will be forwarded to prosecutors once completed. The officer who fired the fatal shots has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.
Meanwhile, the Montreal Police is conducting a separate probe to determine whether the teenagers had committed or were about to commit a crime at the time of the police intervention. In February, several searches on the South Shore were conducted as part of that investigation. Rezayi's family has filed a $2-million lawsuit against the city of Longueuil and the officers involved, with their lawyers claiming authorities have provided little information about the shooting.
Political Response and Ongoing Scrutiny
Catherine Fournier, the mayor of Longueuil, has asked Quebec's public security minister to open an investigation into the police service after internal correspondence allegedly revealed several breaches of its obligations following the shooting. The case has drawn significant attention to police procedures and use of force protocols in Quebec, particularly regarding interactions with youth.
The DPCP has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the timeline for their decision on potential criminal charges. The investigation continues to unfold as the community awaits answers about the circumstances that led to the death of the 15-year-old student.
