Family of teen shot by Longueuil police can learn officers' names

Explainer

A Quebec Superior Court judge has approved a confidential agreement for the family of Nooran Rezayi to learn which Longueuil police officers were involved in his fatal shooting. The 15-year-old was killed in September 2025 after police responded to a 911 call about a group of young people in a residential area. Under the deal approved Thursday, the names of the two officers directly involved will be given to Rezayi's family and a few other applicants, but they are barred from sharing them publicly. The City of Longueuil stated the judge ordered the release of documents containing the identities, subject to strict confidentiality measures.

Yalda Machouf Khadir, a lawyer for the family, said the agreement also provides access to police procedures, the coroner's file and emergency service documents related to the incident. "The identities of the two police officers directly involved in the intervention are among the details that will be disclosed to the family and other applicants," Machouf Khadir wrote. She added that the information remains confidential under court orders prohibiting its disclosure or publication. The family and some families of other teens present that day are suing the city and its police force, alleging unreasonable force.

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What are the known facts about the shooting?

Officers arrived at the scene in the Saint-Hubert borough of Longueuil after a report of allegedly armed youths. Video released by the family's legal team shows Rezayi was shot very soon after police got there. Quebec's independent police watchdog, the Bureau des enquêtes indépendantes, later reported that the only gun found at the scene was the one belonging to the officer who shot Rezayi. Investigators also collected a baseball bat, a backpack and ski masks, but no knives or other bladed weapons. The BEI finished its investigation in March and gave its report to prosecutors, who must decide on any criminal charges.

The findings of the watchdog's probe have not been released publicly. If prosecutors decide to lay charges, the names of the involved officers would then become public. A separate investigation by Quebec's domestic security department is examining why officers waited one hour and 36 minutes to notify the BEI of the death. Correspondence released last year indicated the watchdog's director found it inappropriate that Longueuil officers kept questioning witnesses at the scene after the shooting.

Why were the officers' names kept secret?

The City of Longueuil fought against publicly revealing the officers' names, citing serious safety threats. The city's legal filings noted that police received several death threats on social media following the shooting. In one instance, a teenager posted a photo of an officer he believed was involved on Instagram and offered a $2,000 reward for that officer's murder. That officer and his family were moved to a secure location for protection. The teenager was later arrested and convicted of harassment.

"In accordance with the city’s position, which was to disclose the relevant documents to the applicants, including those containing the identities of the police officers, subject to compliance with applicable confidentiality measures, the parties reached an agreement," a city spokesperson said. Montreal criminal lawyer Walid Hijazi, who is not involved in the case, called the arrangement a sensible middle ground. "There have been death threats uttered online towards police of Longueuil," Hijazi said. "So in the context of this agreement, they agreed that the names of the police officers involved who are the subject of a BEI investigation can be communicated to the family, to the complainants only. It’s not for the public, but just for them."

What does this mean for the family's lawsuit?

The civil lawsuit against the city and police alleges the force used was unreasonable and disproportionate. As part of that action, the families sought the names of the officer who fired the shot and the other officers present. Machouf Khadir told Radio-Canada the new agreement helps advance their case. "We've managed to reach agreements which allow us and our clients to have access to a certain amount of information to move the case forward, but there are restrictions on the publication and dissemination of the information," she said.

She acknowledged the process has been difficult for the family. "The process has been very opaque so far," Machouf Khadir said. "Now we're starting to have access to some information that will allay certain concerns and worries for the family." Concordia University professor Ted Rutland, who studies policing violence, said obtaining the name is a crucial step for the civil suit. "Absent the name of a police officer, then there’s no one whose conduct can be investigated in a civil suit," Rutland said. "So the name is essential."

What other legal proceedings are connected to this case?

Montreal police ran a separate criminal investigation into the events leading up to Rezayi's death. That probe resulted in charges against 11 young people in June, but prosecutors stayed those proceedings in August after new evidence raised a complex legal issue. None of those charges involved a firearm or causing harm to another person. The BEI's report is now with Quebec's prosecution service, the DPCP, for review.

Rutland noted the time this decision can take varies widely. "I think historically we’ve seen the delay between the BEI submitting its investigation and the Crown announcing its decision taking somewhere between six months, sometimes 12, sometimes longer," he said. "And I think that the public has a right to be concerned about how long this process takes. These are incredibly important proceedings for people who have lost a loved one to police violence."

With files from The Canadian Press, Global News and CBC News