Valery Fabrikant, the perpetrator of the 1992 Concordia University massacre, has died in prison at the age of 82, the Correctional Service of Canada confirmed on June 28, 2026.
Details of the crime and imprisonment
Fabrikant was serving a life sentence for the murder of four colleagues at Concordia University's engineering department on August 24, 1992. He opened fire in the university's Henry F. Hall Building, killing four people and wounding another. He was convicted of first-degree murder in 1993 and sentenced to life in prison with no parole eligibility for 25 years.
According to the Correctional Service of Canada, Fabrikant died at the Regional Reception Centre in Sainte-Anne-des-Plaines, Quebec. The cause of death has not been disclosed, but an investigation is underway as per standard procedure.
Impact and legacy
The massacre was one of the deadliest university shootings in Canadian history and led to increased security measures on campuses across the country. The victims were identified as Michael Hogben, Matthew Douglass, Aaron Horowitz, and Elizabeth Horowitz. Fabrikant had been a former professor at the university and had a history of disputes with colleagues.
In a statement, Concordia University expressed condolences to the victims' families and noted that the tragedy remains a somber chapter in the institution's history. The university has since implemented various safety protocols, including emergency alert systems and active shooter training.
