A man was shot dead by the Canadian Police Monday after he struck two Canadian soldiers with his car near Montreal in Quebec, officials said.
An official familiar with the case said that the suspect - identified as Martin Couture Rouleau, 25, of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec - was influenced by radical Islamists.
"The individual who struck the two [Canadian armed forces] members with his car is known to federal authorities, including the Integrated National Security Enforcement Team," said a statement from Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper's office.
"Federal authorities have confirmed that there are clear indications that the individual had become radicalized," the statement said, reports The Guardian.
The incident occurred in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, around 25 miles south-east of Montreal. According to Quebec provincial police Lt. Michel Brunet, the man drove off from the area after hitting two Canadian soldiers in the parking lot of a mall. A police chase followed, which ended with the man losing control of the car. The car then rolled over many times and landed in a ditch. The police shot the man when he came out of the car, Brunet said.
He added that though the police found a knife on the ground, he was not sure whether the man held it in his hand when the police shot him. However, television images showed a big knife in the ground near the car, reports the Associated Press.
One of the soldiers had life-threatening injuries, while the other's injuries were less serious.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper said that he was aware of the incident and termed it as "extremely troubling".
"First and foremost our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families; we're closely monitoring the situation and obviously we will make available all of the resources of the federal government," Harper said, AP reports.
