I was bullied in high school and this was before the time of the internet. My mother intervened and got me transferred to another nearby school where things were much better and I made friends. Thank goodness for her intervention!
"The fifth estate". You all are AWESOME! Discovered the fifth estate many months ago. Originally I only searched out episodes with subjects I was truly interested in. I recently discovered that ALL of their documentaries are great. Now I can click on any subject, any episode and find myself glued to the screen. Somehow they make subject matter that I normally wouldn't care for seem interesting and that is fantastic! I highly recommend this Channel. Keep up the good work fifth estate! Sincerely a fan in Salem, Oregon USA.
I agree the fifth estate is super awesome and I love Mark Kelly for his wonderful work. At the end of this documentary, I felt a lot of sympathy for Alexander and ZERO sympathy for the ones who lost their lives as well as the ones who were targeted by Alex's deadly weapon and still living this nightmare. Mr. Kelly, I love to see you making similar documentary about Karla Homolka, Paul Bernardo, Luka Magnata ....etc after all you cannot be in your right mind and commit these atrocities.
@@gullybull5568 No I don't think so, in fact, Islam is one of the most peaceful religions in the world if you actually read their book and don't make misconceptions about them you'll learn to love the religion.
You know he was bullied, and this is a common thing with these attackers, so please do a show where you investigate the bullies. Interview bullies. What causes them.
BubberGroves but education on such things can change so much. I absolutely hated rich people when I was in college, because they threw us out of our rental to build big fancy houses for rude Yankees. I lumped them all together and would spit on their shoes walking by, or punch holes in tires of bmws. Luckily, my grandmother took me to church once when the sermon was given by a guest from St. Louis who talked about all the classes and races working together to save their neighborhood. I am sure I would have kept escalating if I hadn’t talked to our pastor about it. Sometimes you don’t even know what you are doing is affecting others.
No matter your opinion of Sue Klebold I think everyone should see how strong she had to be after Columbine. There would be no comfort in your world again.
Have you read her book? People seem to think that a mother should stop loving a child if he or she commits a heinous crime, have never been parents IMO.
Oh c'mon Dylan was in trouble for over 12 months in the lead up to Columbine and Sue his mother (not much of a mother) ignored Dylan and his escalating problems and behavior. She knew what was coming and now she earns millions of dollars a year playing victim and denying and refusing to take any accountability for how she raised and treated her own son. He was begging for her attention and she did nothing but ignore him. She is one of the most unemotional people I've encountered.
I agree....I think it takes a lot of courage to do what she does. I think we have seen a lot of angry and violent reactions to things lately...( Rioters storming the Capital on Jan 6 for one...) and she stands up in front of a huge group of strangers and admits she made big mistakes.....
@@QuietBloom I agree..... as a parent of two teens, I’ve watched horrible school shootings and wondered what I would do if my child did that.....I can’t even imagine! Honestly, there is no easy answer. I see a lot of people blaming the parents and there is no grey area with them, the parents should have stopped it from happening......I always wonder if they are parents of teens themselves.
If this was entirely centered around him being bullied then why didn't he target the groups/persons/those with the same power dynamics as those who targeted him? Why were his victims going to be the feminist group and the Muslim student association, neither of whom targeted him? These are the questions people refuse to engage with. He admits he thought of how his targeted attack would impact them, and still he carried out the attack. The police are saying "well he said x so of course the reason is x". This is atrocious reasoning
This seems especially true for boys, the inability to share their most hurtful thoughts and feelings. I don’t know why some children become chronic victims of bullying. My daughter was being bullied in middle school and it got to the point where she didn’t want to go to school. We began listening in on some of harassing phone calls and were able to figure out what girls were involved. Initially we talked with their parents, even though our daughter begged us not to. Eventually the problem was resolved. I think many of their parents were quite shocked by the bullying behavior, we didn’t blame or shame we just wanted them to be aware and talk with their child. In our case this worked.
Not sure what the big mystery is? Bullying and shaming children as they’re developing their sense self in the world, creates a core wound to identity. This forms the root of the personality disturbance and warped sense of “justice” that develops later. We forget that these “lone wolf” gunmen were once children. We forget that a child being bullied today will one day become an adult, with access to vehicles and weapons. It’s not rare, most just gravitate to SELF-destructive behaviour instead, their endings as unseen and unheard as their childhood cries for help. Or a life spent in a cycle of self-medicating and addiction, on and off the streets. Slow suicide. WE create these “monsters” as a cheek-turning society... no small child begins school hoping to be a spree killer when they grow up. Unresolved Childhood Trauma becomes Toxic Shame in adults and rewires the developing brains stress response.
bullying has nothing to do with it, blaming mass shootings on bullying means off-loading the blame from the perpetrator to people completely unrelated to the crime
Very well said, thank you. Having said that, do you give any creedance to parents spending more time with their children? Television and computers in every room, everyone off doing their own thing?
platedlizard Well said. I’m glad there are people who actually care for this society l. Instead of trying really hard to sound empathetic like if it’s a competition. They need to start thinking about solutions no matter how harsh they should be and stop excusing these MONSTERS!
The parents have a big task. People don't love their child like they do. They won't stop loving their kid, nor should they. You can hate a person's actions and choices without hating them. And a parent's love SHOULD be unconditional.
*Parents please talk to your kids.* You’ll never know if something’s wrong if you don’t start that conversation with them. A lot can be prevented simply by knowing how you kid feels & what’s on in their mind/life.
In Australia, mass shootings are incredibly rare, 4 people were killed in Darwin in June 2019. It was the worst mass shooting since 1996. A lone gun am killed 35 people and an extensive overhaul of our gun laws occurred. There was a massive buy back and strict laws regarding gun ownership were implemented. There has never been a shooting at a school and our kids don’t have to worry about random gun violence.
@@Karenanne247 Think. An island doesn't have bordering countries with people smuggling things in illegally. It's really easy to take things away from people who don't have any way to get more.
I think they didn't see it as a big deal! Did u hear what the father said about his sentencing ? It's political 😳 he thinks the judges are unfair to his big headed Dragon looking son! What a joke!
I imagine there's quite a few troubled people owning guns in North America who don't commit mass murders, guns are part of the culture for many. And he wasn't a child, he was an adult. The whole point of the documentary is to show that the warning signs are there but often only become obvious with hindsight. You have the benefit of hindsight and having all the relevant information neatly packaged into 45 minutes, the parents witnessed this over years and months with all the other distractions of the minutiae of daily life.
This guy was born in '89. Why are they acting like he's some kind of high school kid? I'm not gonna feel sorry for this grown man. In my opinion this was a targeted attack.
I agree with you! He’s not a baby, he’s a grown man who went out one night to kill people. No matter his reasoning, that outcome should not be forgotten about.
Of course it was targeted But remember we are Canadian who have racism and prejudice that we can ever admit. Top 10 racist country according to the UN. But “diversity makes as stronger” Trudeau I wonder if we really believe that
When someone is wounded mentally and psychologically as a child you can get stuck at that around age mentally. So even though he’s a grown man physically mentally he’s not.
Normal people don't say they believe in white only immigration and decide to kill a bunch of innocent people because of school bullying It's easy to blame bullies but did anyone ever think that people weren't nice to him because he was a racist person who didn't respect other people? Everybody encounters bullies but not everyone turns into racist murders bc of it. That was his personal choice. Hate bullies, but hate racism just as much or even more
Amanda Vaughan it’s so easy to blame bullying. Not so easy to call him an entitled, racist terrorist. His family is campaigning very hard to make him appear as a victim.
I'm not him, so I can't speak for him, but I think he was using the racial and terroristic aspect of it as justification in his mind. I mean before that, he was scoping out a mall which would have random of all ethnicities and religions. Maybe it's because of previous shootings that occurred in mosques where other places of worship that made him lean that direction? Can't find anything really rational in something that is irrational.
TBH I hear alot of teens referring to white boys as "white boys" now. That in its own is racist. Black, hispanic and even white kids and teens are calling these boys that are white "white boys" It seems innocent but they wouldn't get away with saying "hey black boy". They say it in a way to demoralize the boy. When I hear them say it I correct them and tell them to say his name or refer to him as a boy or man. The color of your skin shouldn't be involved at all. Nowadays any kid that doesn't take up for themselves is a victim of bullying. Bullying is part of life in my eyes. It weeds out the weak in a way but to a point. Do not bully people into suicide. Also if you go back in history before gunpowder was ever invented man has always killed in masses. Armies would raid the cities and kill all the people including kids attending schools with swords, crossbows etc. Humans are sick. Even today governments kill in masses but its ok if you are on the winning side right.
Lol. “How did he get such a warped view of the world around him?” Thank you news media. I’m an adult so I have more of an ability to understand the REASONS behind what I’m hearing on the media. What this kid did was terrible and unnecessary but I can totally see how a kids mind could see it differently. Our words our powerful. I wish the media would use it to help instead of making the ratings. You are part of this problem.
I have a hard time finding sympathy for Bissonnette. Having endured bullying my whole life. Even now I go out in public and get rejected. It’s NEVER crossed my mind to cause harm to them. This IS a complex issue and I don’t disagree that we should do all we can to understand in order to help prevent more however making him out to be a victim isn’t something that is ok.
I'm sorry you've had to go through being bullied your entire life, but I am really glad you aren't siding with him!! I totally agree we should not be painting him as a victim, which is exactly what this documentary is doing.
So? People are different. He wasn't "only" bullied, but obviously also had severe mental issues; a deadly mix. Some people see light at the end of the tunnel and find success in life after tragic experiences, while others crumble under these circumstances. You can't judge others by one's own standards. At the end of the day, he is a victim and perpetrator at the same time.
Yeah im a gun guy and this is what happens when your not properly taught from an early age about the handling of a weapon.... As a young man, I didn't touch a gun unless my father was present...… Weapons aren't meant to make anybody feel powerful, his parents are idiots...
I really object to this portrayal of “a broken boy” due to bullying. Many people are bullied, often terribly so. The difference is those people don’t have Bissonette’s narcissism and callousness. He fits the classic dark triad.
How harsh you are your heart is devoid of compassion for kids who are bullied. Not all bullied kids go on to kill certainly. But bullies are also criminals
Mental health is so very crucial, equal to physical health. I am a survivor of a lot of past trauma but years later physically suffered unbearably for 2 years, never knowing it was PTSD and depression making me so physically ill. I also couldnt leave my bedroom for over a year unless it was for my kids or to get groceries. I looked out my window every 5 minutes in absolute fear every single day. I did not know in those moments it was my mental health wrecking me physically. Each of us has a unique individual universe that is our amazing brain. We never know what goes on for another fully in that universe, except for snippets of what is offered. To suffer and not know it is a mental health issue is utterly terrifying. Like being trapped in a bubble slowly running out of air. Im beyond grateful for a team of people around me, from Drs, therapists, support groups, to amazing friends. Sorry for the length, but my point is, I wonder how many out there suffer mentally yet havent a clue like myself at the height of PTSD? And Im not speaking specifically to PTSD only but any mental issues.
it's been almost 6 years for me, i'm certain my depression and anxiety has contributed or caused my chronic fatigue. I'm glad you had a great support system and got help. I've tried and tried and gradually have gotten too fatigued and lost hope to try to seek it very often, each time I make the effort, i'm let down. Tiring 😞
What gets me most is how they continue to claim that the bullying he got was what made him do it and yet he never targeted those who inflicted him harm & allegedly tormented him
I don't think that anyone is claiming that bullying was the only cause. People can have personality disorders that are sometimes genetic and sometimes caused by brain damage, either from illness or injury. Someone with a severe personality disorder may be influenced by things like bullying, abuse, neglect, abandonment, etc. So it becomes a perfect storm of personality plus environment that creates a mass murderer or serial killer. Bullying may have played a part, but it wouldn't necessarily have created a murderer without an underlying personality disorder.
@@sali388 I don't think anyone is excusing his actions. My personal opinion on this issue is that bullying certainly isn't responsible for acts like his, but we are kidding ourselves if we deny that bullying doesn't contribute to things like these. If bullying wasn't an issue, there would still be mass killings, but I believe some of them may never have happened without the experiences of bullying. It's a complicated issue that doesn't have one single solution. A vast majority of victims of abuse don't become abusers themselves, but the data shows that most abusers were victims of abuse when they were growing up. We would be doing a dis-service to our children, and our communities if we chose to ignore the impact that bullying can have on people's mental health.
If he was trying to be a hero, to save people what was his motive for his trip to the mall to shoot anyone and everyone? If he wanted to be a hero surely being caught on a security camera wouldn't have stopped him. I don't assume to understand all of this, I'm not liberal enough to feel like society failed this or any shooter. I think suggesting he was trying to save people is insulting to his victims and their loved ones.
The majority of the time the children of bullying never targets the children who bullying them the children of the bullying holds it in when they are young they Don't know where or how to react to the bullying they cower down and withdrawal. Until one day they explode and hurt people that has done nothing to them its all around sad 😥 outcomes.
Sad he never got the help he needed. A few years back, a US Psychiatrist interviewed every murderer on Death Row. 96% had at least 3 of the following in common: childhood abuse, mental health issues, bullied/socially isolated, head injury resulting in personality change ( brain's frontal lobe controls empathy, emotion & impulse control). Fred & Rose West each had all 4. Rose's brain injury was due to her mother being given electric shock therapy when 8 months pregnant. Rose was 'slow' from birth.
"They thought owning guns was a healthy hobby for their struggling [suicdal] son." Yeah, about that common sense you ordered? Sorry for the 25 year delay but it's in stock now.
Demeter I love crime shows and always hear something like, ‘he was a normal, happy man who loved to hunt’. Call me radical but I see a link between gun use and violence.
This goes far beyond the particular actions of certain people. Mass murder is a symptom of a sick society. The first mass murderer was Charles Whitman who shot at people from the tower at Univ of Texas in Austin in the 1960's. Yet no one asks why no mass killings happened before this. Did so many people just individually become "evil" after that ? Mass murders will go on unabated until people begin to ask what is wrong with a society that has suddenly begun to produce such people. ... Art.Curator.2016@gmail.com
It seems at the heart of these incidents there is bullying or not fitting in. Not being able to make social connections or being part of a group is devastating. These people will either become reclusive or do something for attention. It pisses me off that the old lady teacher was aware of his bullying and nothing was done by the school.
This documentary completely missed the mark. He killed innocent people at a mosque, not the bullies that tormented him. He didn't snap because of bullying. He was radicalized because of the rise of xenophobia in Canada. He said he did it to save people from "terrorism" not to seek revenge on his bullies.
he just wanted to kill and be justified. He had look a feminist event at our local university in the weeks prior to the shooting. But we had historical mass feminicide in the 80's, so he probably felt it would be more acceptable to kill muslims and he was sadly not that wrong there are people who defend him or consider his sentence (life without parole for 40 years) too harsh. But yeah they missed the mark. They wouldn't have protrayed him this way if he was arab!
The bullying is connected and should be mentioned in my opinion but what you are saying is also very true and should have been indeed in the documentary
This is too difficult to explain all that I'm feeling ... Fifth Estate is one journalism platform I trust with such stories. They keep it real and on the forefront.
yea because they would raise alarm if you said , i heard from someone he has a plan but im not really sure they would laugh at you right in your face i think
When I went to school, I stuck up for the kids that were bullied. Why aren’t kids helping others, instead of standing by, not doing anything? I feel very sorry for this kid and, all of his victims.
It's too bad for the families he never found the help he so badly needed. Seems everyone except alexander has taken responsibility for what he has done.
All these people fluttering around the poor little frightened white supremacist. Did they write letters to the mosque victims? Did they care about them? Did they pray for their families? Did Fifth Estate investigate what they accomplished in their lives?
Anyone wrote a letter to Montreal terror attack victims?? Gamil Gharbi also killed innocent women and man. Somehow no one says anything about that.So Gamil Gharbi changed his name to Marc Lépine and you forgot all about that terrorist. Hypocrite.
Kind of makes you wonder if it makes the problem of violence worse. If media coverage focused on victims rather than the perpetrator we might actually see a decrease in these types of violent crimes.
What? you didn't see in this long 44mn documentary how Mark Kelly mentioned over and over the victims? Well I didm during this long 44mn documentary I heard over and over about Alexander and his parents what they were going through, poor them, I feel very sorry for the little kid Alex and his parents.
He kept reminding me of someone. It was bothering me until I figured out it was the actor, Topher Grace. Total doppelgangers. That said, bullying is terrorism condoned and ignored by authorities in our schools and it is devastating to young developing minds and scars you for life.
I don't blame his parents for being in the state that they're in right now. I imagine the entire thing is hard to fathom. I also believe they're carrying a lot of guilt and in a way are also grieving the loss of their son. Sometimes you have to be away from something long enough to be able to have clarity. You heard how long it took Klebold's Mom to come to terms with everything, and understand where she was lacking that she otherwise couldn't comprehend in the beginning. I saw her Ted Talk a while ago, and it was really insightful.
@@principecaprincipeca2243 He was? I missed that part somewhere, but what are you trying to get at? (Not being rude btw, genuinely curious what you're referring to? Is it who's responsible for his actions??)
@@principecaprincipeca2243 oh, okay. I get what you're saying. I think it's really hard to put responsibility on the school system since they aren't his full-time time Guardians. They can only do so much in regard to bullying. I didn't realize he was so close to 30. I thought he was probably in his early twenties, which still doesn't excuse the fact. I was actually surprised I have never heard of this guy. I'm not sure where you're from, but I'm from the USA. *And even his Guardians aren't to blame. I think people just want to find a place to direct their anger and confusion.
Ok this documentary is making me SO MAD!!!!! I live 4 street corners from the mosque and I know people who lost someone that night!! Bullying is the worst but most bullied people don't end up shooting up a mosque and comparing the crime of a 25 years old man to those of 17 years old kids is horrible.
I agree! So many people, if not all, go through bullying. A lot go through severe bullying. Yes, it's awful and damaging for children/teens but going out & killing others doesn't justify anything. This whole victim mentality is pathetic. If it was a non-white person who went into a place of worship, they'd be painted as a terrorist without mention of being bullied.
It's like a cycle of brokenness, the child gets bullied, he builds anger inside, there's no support. The parents didn't see the signs, the teachers couldn't stop the bullying, the criminal system thinks jail is better, society doesn't forgive...gosh. We have broken systems all around us. God help us. I feel horrible for everyone involved, including this kid.
Wow let's call it what it is ! A KILLER Monster who figured he could do what he please. Many people had a whole lot less and went through so much more! Stop coddling these savages. How long will you let this go on?
"Mentally ill" is the wrong word. Someone who has a chromosome to much could be considered that. What is said in the video is very true, you need to understand to prevent. If you just say "hE cRaZy" then things like this will happen more and more.
One of the things that I think really needs to be addressed is the hopeless feeling that young people feel who are being bullied. Really reaching out to victims of bullying, and helping them to understand that their adolescent tribulations don't last forever, and that they can get through it to adulthood as stronger and more empathetic people. Bullying is a problem that won't simply go away. It's something that we as members of society need to eradicate, but we also have to understand that it won't happen overnight. Mass shooting is inexcusable, and there is simply no reason for tragedies like that to happen.
I feel for all the victims, and his parents and family are also victims. He has a twin, I wonder how he is feeling? Was he also bullied at this school, or did he know what his brother was up to?
People won't want to hear this but parents need to teach their kids to fight back to bullies. It won't stop until they show they won't be an easy target. They don't even have to win the fight, but showing the bullies that it will be a fight every time is the only solution unfortunately. Teaching kids how to deal with bullies early in life is the key. I feel bad this kid wasn't taught what he needed to know.
Marty Fowler You obviously don’t have any experience with gun cultures, and you are showing your prejudice toward people with mental health issues. Nothing is ever cut and dry in regards to human behavior. Even the vast majority of psychopaths never kill anyone.
Marty Fowler So, you are saying his parents are responsible? I actually do agree that his parents should have thought twice about buying him a gun. But to say that they are responsible for what he did, is too far a reach.
QuietBloom His parents knew that you cannot have a weapons license if you have been treated for a mental illness. laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/f-11.6/fulltext.html
I feel compassion for him. Being relentlessly bullied can essentially cripple someone. Add on top the bullying, underlying preexisting mental health issues, and it's ultimately a recipe for disaster.
No, that's not why he carried on the attack. He was racist and had hate that he wanted to let out on a specific a group of people. He was 28, "I was bullied" is'nt an excuse for something this cruel and horrible, he definitely had hate within him.
Richard Grannon of the UK nailed it: We have a pandemic of narcissism and it's being ignored. Narcissism has the belief the individual is not responsible for their feelings, thoughts and actions. A belief that has come down the centuries with the propaganda of the messiah solving all problems and a god is controlling everything.
He acted out as an upset person with fatal consequences. He could have killed himself if he had so much hurt and pain. No he wanted to hurt others who were going about their lives. Selfish
At least the description was correct. “A semi-automatic rifle.” Most people cincorrectly call it an “assault weapon” which shows they know zero about guns.
Dear Mr. Bissonnette My food doesn't have taste, the air i breathe doesn't have a fragrance . I live a day that seems to never end. I can remember kindergarten like it was yesterday and i am over 50 years old. I have no enjoyment for life i just exist for the hate. I was just like your son,the same thoughts and experiences made me feel much like he did. I to had a plan and I can tell you that there was nothing you could have done to change his mind. Every time i hear about mass shooters or serial killers i relate to them and they make me stop. I don't want to be like them it is just something that takes over you. When i have these thoughts i go on my bicycle and just ride it clears my mind. All the professionals in this program say they can stop this from happening, i am here to tell you that they can't! Mr.Bissonnette don't try to understand what you son did, don't look for answers, there are dentists, doctors, mechanics and killers in this world accept it and ask forgiveness from the people your son killed it is the only way out of your pain.
I'm watching this after another mass shooting by a kid, whose father bought him a gun for Xmas; whose mother said, don't get caught. Kid will be in prison for life, and parents are facing various charges. December, 2021.
I know how that soul felt. I have been there. Bullied all my life, even now... Luckily I did not have an access to firearm. Culture was different. and have an insight which saved me. I do not have sympathy but I do empathize
You guys did a really good job of humanizing this killer. It's nice to know even if you do something considered horrible by many there's a channel that will show a good side. Cheers CBC
Personally I think this piece was a huge insult to the dead and families of the dead who were not doing anything but practicing their religion. Perhaps Mr Bisonnette knows there is no reasoning why his son did an atrocity and declined an interview but expressed that he will always love him. I saw very little on the targets of the shooting and a heck of a lot on the shooter. He was not insane, he was found guilty as he was aware if his actions and consequences of his actions. We don't need to know more.
In spite of the voluminous “armchair “ psychoanalysis, I don’t think it’s possible to really know why mass shooters do what they do. The best the “experts” can offer is a generalized checklist of characteristics that could apply to any number of people who don’t become mass shooters.
They are not blaming everyone but the shooter, the message here is how a society can we improve what we do, and look what we can change about ourselves
Why on earth have I never heard of this in my mental health studies? Heck, why did we not hear about it here in the US, especially this?! This is one of the reason I went into Forensic Psychology and Applied Behavior. Because parents don't know so, I'm wanting to learn the clues and ques so that parents or others can see it and stop it before it happens.. He knew it was wrong so he isn't insane, he could have not done it and went in and got mental health help and told them what he wanted to do..
We all have choices that we make every day. My hope is that as I write this, any who read my comments, whether you are about to make a comment yourself or perhaps if you are a person who is looking for your own answers - you stop and listen to this. Every life matters. There can be no free exchange of ideas if we as a society begin to see parts of society as unworthy or people as nothing more than moving objects. Reporting on behaviors such as this - we reporters have the maximum weight of responsibility to see beyond the haze and tell a story that has no possible good ending. To a person who is contemplating any action akin to the actions depicted in this piece, I would ask you to ask yourself this one question - what possible good can an action like this one create? The pen is mightier than the sword. Violence is never the answer. Look for the good in yourself. Once you find it it will free you so that you can seek and find the good in others. Once found - there is nothing good in you that could harm the good in others. The peace that you are seeking begins with you. And you will never find that peace through violence. None of us are angels. None of us are devils either. Each of us actively choose which side of the line we want to fall on. Don’t blur that line. Take a deep breath and say to yourself, “I am no angel - but - I want to be one.” Then everything will be ok.
I think everything you said is really great, and even important. It was written really beautifully. I don't feel as though people who are considering anything similar to this as having enough self-worth to even begin that kind of questioning. In my mind, they feel that they are worthless and therefore see the world as a negative and worthless place. I could only hope that your words would be "enough" for someone to not continue an act such as this violence.
Dear Mr. Bisonnette, at least media gave you the opportunity to express yourself. When someone does a terrorist attack under our name, we are requested to shut up. I hope that one day the confirmation bias stops, this is the most dangerous weapon of today.
I saw in his infant photos that there appeared to be a twin, is this twin still living? What happened was a tragedy of the worst, for so many including his family. This is a lesson on early intervention on bullying. One of my younger brothers was perpetually bullied in school but the attitude then was that he should 'toughen up and it would pass. He broke and never really recovered. With a lot of counselling Alexandre may find his way out from the confusion. I wish all concerned well.
Although I agree with you, I don't think it's the children who were responsible ultimately, they were just children doing what children do (unfortunately, it seems inherent group behaviour to scapegoat individuals in order to bolster their 'in' group dynamics) Ultimately it's all the adults around the children at school who time and time again look the other way, minimise the bullying, blaming and holding the victim responsible for what's happening to them. It's appalling that it's STILL happening. Yes, it's better than it was in that at least schools/work now acknowledge it happens everywhere, but more has to be done, it's just SO damaging to be ostracised and isolated. The pain mass shooters are inflicting on others is an expression of their own pain, imho.
We need to study these people, very very closely, during their time in prison. We should not give up trying to understand why young men - and it seems always to be young men - kill masses of people for apparently no reason. There is a reason and parents are not able to spot it, neither are professional doctors and psychiatrists. But times change, medicine and psychiatry improve. What is the point of locking them up and forgetting about them? Investigate, ask, study, visit, time and time again. Win.
For such an official show, you might want to create actual subtitles in at least English and French. Don't depend on automatic mode. It doesn't work for those who need a bit of help... Or are hard of hearing! Thanks.
These people have one thing in common, they are all cowards! They feel weak and insignificant, and by committing a crime will give them the prestige and power they feel can not be gained any other way. It's not mental illness, it's low self esteem and pure evil. The two are a deadly mix. A bully is a very tormented person, and are made to feel more insignificant than the people they bully. If you look at their lives they are miserable. And children take out their feelings in a physical way, punch or hug, if they do not have guidance in how to handle their feelings. Look at a bully for what they really are, a jealous person that wants more than anything to be you or have your life instead of theirs.
I'm just watching this for the first time. It seems NOBODY will address the fact that ALL of these shooters are on some kind of antipsychotic medication and other drugs and alcohol. In the world of medicate don't spank, big pharma and the governments are also to blame for this. And wasn't he a twin?
Seems obvious to me that bullying is the biggest factor. Maybe a ciluminative effect of years of bullying and mistreatment. People should be nice to each other
Bullying isn't taken nearly as seriously as it should be. The response to it is not nearly as strong as it should be. It has such serious consequences, especially over years and it happens when kids and young adults are so vunerable. When kids are subjected to this, it's soul crushing and so damaging to the core. Parents - whole families - need to be totally present in their children's lives and the response to bullying has to be much much more proactive. Friends need to say something if they see their friend isn't "right", is struggling. Teachers needs to take note. Neighbors...anyone. I don't know what else we can do.
I have to be honest, I am deeply bothered by this episode. Notice how the focus of this entire show is on the “mentally ill” murderer. How about a show discussing the murdered victims where we meet their families and friends and character witnesses who share about THEIR lives??? Oh, and let us remember, the murdered men (commonly labeled as terrorist) were killed; and they are the folks we are supposed to be so afraid of and striving to protect our society from. But in reality, who are the MOST common mass murdering culprits in the West??? 😥😥😥
Cla Lyrics, 💯%!!! Case in point. The so-called “islamophobia” needs to be redirected to a different group of murdering terrorist, who continuously unleash this type of violence in the Western world.
Bullying is mentioned at the beginning but doesn't expand on who was bullying him, could it be ....... I wonder if this was a church attacked if they would expand on the bullying
I don't agree with the "parents didn't know". A parent lives in the house with their children. They cook their dinners, wash their clothes, etc. You mean to tell me the parent saw nothing strange. Most of the young mass murderers come from financially stable parents that own guns as a hobby in their homes. It's so crazy that they want to study and understand young mass murderers but lock drug dealers and gang members up for life.
Vee Friend it’s not the anti-psychotic drugs that is the issue.....hundreds of thousands of people are on anti-psychotics and would never consider harming anyone. My brother in law lives with us and is on 4 different anti-psychotic meds every day and he would never hurt a fly let alone innocent people. He is bi-polar and a manic depressive and the drugs actually keep him alive ( they keep him from being so depressed that becomes suicidal). Your implication that being on anti-psychotic meds and being a mass-shooter are related is ignorant and uneducated.....
@@novascotiaskater1868 First of all Skater, my view is that when we comment on others' comments, we really should remain polite and respectful. Your comment to me: "ignorant and uneducated" is meant to insult perhaps? It's unclear what you mean by "uneducated". Unschooled? And I take it that your use of "ignorant" may refer to me being ignorant of the facts? The words you use to try to discredit me are known as weaponized language. 1. From my reading of 'shooters', most are on some sort of anti-psychotic pharmaceutical. Do a search. 2. Many people are more susceptible to a chemical which may push them 'over the edge' into vicious acts. You can find a very strong evidence for this by doing a thorough search. 3. One person's experience, or several, does not a case make. Apparently many people do quite well on these drugs. Here is a launching point to start your search. Read all of the comments following the article. They're very interesting. And keep in mind, 'big pharma' has big power and the power to limit, online, many studies showing the link between antipsychotics/neuroleptics and actual psychosis.
the main problem here is the access to weapons. Without weapons, such an act is not possible. Teachers and school psychologists in schools must focus more on mobbing / bullying. Parents must confidently strengthen their children so that they do not become victims.
@@johnvanzyl2960 and "Quebecois de Souche" is not racist at aĺl ! It merely describes someone with French ancestry. The dominant culture should simply admit that promoting cultural pride via the Quiet Revolution produced xenophobia . And stop with all the fanciful explanations that support racism.
Stop giving sick psychopathic serial killers victim's narratives. I got news for you, kids who were bullied and struggled with mental health issues- everyone's been bullied, everyone's suffered from mental health issues at one point or another. The responsibility to rise above is on you, the failure to rise above that which life throws at you is the ultimate failure. You were a victim when you were bullied but not anymore. Now you're a monster. Instead of rising above and proving those who doubted you wrong, you proved them right, by doing the most despicable act.
I quote: “Did he want revenge, or respect?”. That was a very insightful question because if he wanted to avenge his bullying he would have shot up the school but he didn’t, he shot up a mosque.
I hope the bullies are watching this and raising their kids differently. There is no excuse for what this guy did, but I'm sure the bullying affected him deeply
I was bullied in high school and this was before the time of the internet. My mother intervened and got me transferred to another nearby school where things were much better and I made friends. Thank goodness for her intervention!
He'd been drinking all day.... tells his parents he's going to the gun range for some target practice.... "OK cool see you later..." WHAT?
They didn't know that!
"The fifth estate". You all are AWESOME! Discovered the fifth estate many months ago. Originally I only searched out episodes with subjects I was truly interested in. I recently discovered that ALL of their documentaries are great. Now I can click on any subject, any episode and find myself glued to the screen. Somehow they make subject matter that I normally wouldn't care for seem interesting and that is fantastic! I highly recommend this Channel. Keep up the good work fifth estate! Sincerely a fan in Salem, Oregon USA.
I agree the fifth estate is super awesome and I love Mark Kelly for his wonderful work. At the end of this documentary, I felt a lot of sympathy for Alexander and ZERO sympathy for the ones who lost their lives as well as the ones who were targeted by Alex's deadly weapon and still living this nightmare. Mr. Kelly, I love to see you making similar documentary about Karla Homolka, Paul Bernardo, Luka Magnata ....etc after all you cannot be in your right mind and commit these atrocities.
I am 83 and was small and weak as a teenager and never ever thought of hurting any thing.
maybe islam will change your mind.
@@gullybull5568 No I don't think so, in fact, Islam is one of the most peaceful religions in the world if you actually read their book and don't make misconceptions about them you'll learn to love the religion.
@@gullybull5568 it is saddening that you feel this way.
Well Art, some would say you were just lucky. And i am one of them.
Are you 84?!
You know he was bullied, and this is a common thing with these attackers, so please do a show where you investigate the bullies. Interview bullies. What causes them.
That won't happen. Because "Boys will be boys" and "Kids can just be cruel"
BubberGroves but education on such things can change so much. I absolutely hated rich people when I was in college, because they threw us out of our rental to build big fancy houses for rude Yankees. I lumped them all together and would spit on their shoes walking by, or punch holes in tires of bmws. Luckily, my grandmother took me to church once when the sermon was given by a guest from St. Louis who talked about all the classes and races working together to save their neighborhood. I am sure I would have kept escalating if I hadn’t talked to our pastor about it. Sometimes you don’t even know what you are doing is affecting others.
Bcuz that would be "Too much like "right!"
Name one bullie who mass shot
Derek Weinert TV precursor though. It’s not as simple as fry the shooter
No matter your opinion of Sue Klebold I think everyone should see how strong she had to be after Columbine. There would be no comfort in your world again.
Have you read her book? People seem to think that a mother should stop loving a child if he or she commits a heinous crime, have never been parents IMO.
I agree. She has to either shrink or try to come to terms now. She's strong enough to warn others about what they might be missing.
Oh c'mon Dylan was in trouble for over 12 months in the lead up to Columbine and Sue his mother (not much of a mother) ignored Dylan and his escalating problems and behavior. She knew what was coming and now she earns millions of dollars a year playing victim and denying and refusing to take any accountability for how she raised and treated her own son. He was begging for her attention and she did nothing but ignore him. She is one of the most unemotional people I've encountered.
I agree....I think it takes a lot of courage to do what she does. I think we have seen a lot of angry and violent reactions to things lately...( Rioters storming the Capital on Jan 6 for one...) and she stands up in front of a huge group of strangers and admits she made big mistakes.....
@@QuietBloom I agree..... as a parent of two teens, I’ve watched horrible school shootings and wondered what I would do if my child did that.....I can’t even imagine! Honestly, there is no easy answer. I see a lot of people blaming the parents and there is no grey area with them, the parents should have stopped it from happening......I always wonder if they are parents of teens themselves.
If this was entirely centered around him being bullied then why didn't he target the groups/persons/those with the same power dynamics as those who targeted him? Why were his victims going to be the feminist group and the Muslim student association, neither of whom targeted him? These are the questions people refuse to engage with. He admits he thought of how his targeted attack would impact them, and still he carried out the attack. The police are saying "well he said x so of course the reason is x". This is atrocious reasoning
scribbling ink this whole video is an effort to make us accept this as normal and even cute.
Poor shooters!
Clara Montgomery I know, it's utterly atrocious. I mean. Where does it end? Truly end? I don't sleep well at night.
exactly. I'm not gonna feel sympathy for trash that chose to kill innocent people.
Yeah. They can’t even call him a terrorist but hiding behind pathetic excuses for his actions
Thank You!
This seems especially true for boys, the inability to share their most hurtful thoughts and feelings. I don’t know why some children become chronic victims of bullying. My daughter was being bullied in middle school and it got to the point where she didn’t want to go to school. We began listening in on some of harassing phone calls and were able to figure out what girls were involved. Initially we talked with their parents, even though our daughter begged us not to. Eventually the problem was resolved. I think many of their parents were quite shocked by the bullying behavior, we didn’t blame or shame we just wanted them to be aware and talk with their child. In our case this worked.
Thank God you were atentive to your child's life so many children are being bullied and nothing most of the time God has you all
Inability? There's the ability, but it's discouraged.
Also, in this specific case the mental health authorities failed.
Not sure what the big mystery is? Bullying and shaming children as they’re developing their sense self in the world, creates a core wound to identity. This forms the root of the personality disturbance and warped sense of “justice” that develops later.
We forget that these “lone wolf” gunmen were once children. We forget that a child being bullied today will one day become an adult, with access to vehicles and weapons.
It’s not rare, most just gravitate to SELF-destructive behaviour instead, their endings as unseen and unheard as their childhood cries for help. Or a life spent in a cycle of self-medicating and addiction, on and off the streets. Slow suicide.
WE create these “monsters” as a cheek-turning society... no small child begins school hoping to be a spree killer when they grow up. Unresolved Childhood Trauma becomes Toxic Shame in adults and rewires the developing brains stress response.
Very good. I couldn't have said it better.
👏👏👏
bullying has nothing to do with it, blaming mass shootings on bullying means off-loading the blame from the perpetrator to people completely unrelated to the crime
Very well said, thank you. Having said that, do you give any creedance to parents spending more time with their children? Television and computers in every room, everyone off doing their own thing?
platedlizard Well said. I’m glad there are people who actually care for this society l. Instead of trying really hard to sound empathetic like if it’s a competition. They need to start thinking about solutions no matter how harsh they should be and stop excusing these MONSTERS!
The parents have a big task. People don't love their child like they do. They won't stop loving their kid, nor should they. You can hate a person's actions and choices without hating them. And a parent's love SHOULD be unconditional.
That's a hard one... Unconditional love..
That’s why I never produced a child of my own; I just couldn’t bear the duties & responsibilities inherent thereto.
*Parents please talk to your kids.* You’ll never know if something’s wrong if you don’t start that conversation with them. A lot can be prevented simply by knowing how you kid feels & what’s on in their mind/life.
In Australia, mass shootings are incredibly rare, 4 people were killed in Darwin in June 2019. It was the worst mass shooting since 1996. A lone gun am killed 35 people and an extensive overhaul of our gun laws occurred. There was a massive buy back and strict laws regarding gun ownership were implemented. There has never been a shooting at a school and our kids don’t have to worry about random gun violence.
And you gave them up,idiots
@@LMTMarta look at our crime rate, especially murder rate. And if you think it's smart to keep murdering each other, then I'm sad for you.
@@Jdjustsaying You're on an island. 😂
@@waypay1 and?
@@Karenanne247 Think. An island doesn't have bordering countries with people smuggling things in illegally. It's really easy to take things away from people who don't have any way to get more.
His parent's knowing he was very troubled saw no problem with him owning weapons???!!!!
I think they didn't see it as a big deal! Did u hear what the father said about his sentencing ? It's political 😳 he thinks the judges are unfair to his big headed Dragon looking son! What a joke!
I imagine there's quite a few troubled people owning guns in North America who don't commit mass murders, guns are part of the culture for many. And he wasn't a child, he was an adult. The whole point of the documentary is to show that the warning signs are there but often only become obvious with hindsight. You have the benefit of hindsight and having all the relevant information neatly packaged into 45 minutes, the parents witnessed this over years and months with all the other distractions of the minutiae of daily life.
@@danierinash7952 thank you doctor Phil lol jk well said.
No, why should they?
@@ROMSradio Lol, a well received and appreciated joke!
This guy was born in '89. Why are they acting like he's some kind of high school kid? I'm not gonna feel sorry for this grown man. In my opinion this was a targeted attack.
I agree with you! He’s not a baby, he’s a grown man who went out one night to kill people. No matter his reasoning, that outcome should not be forgotten about.
Of course it was targeted
But remember we are Canadian who have racism and prejudice that we can ever admit.
Top 10 racist country according to the UN.
But “diversity makes as stronger” Trudeau
I wonder if we really believe that
When someone is wounded mentally and psychologically as a child you can get stuck at that around age mentally.
So even though he’s a grown man physically mentally he’s not.
Canadians are always 'victims.' The belive the world owes them for existing and have to serve them.
@@FukaiKokoro it doesn't matter. Grown man's adult actions.
Normal people don't say they believe in white only immigration and decide to kill a bunch of innocent people because of school bullying
It's easy to blame bullies but did anyone ever think that people weren't nice to him because he was a racist person who didn't respect other people? Everybody encounters bullies but not everyone turns into racist murders bc of it.
That was his personal choice. Hate bullies, but hate racism just as much or even more
Amanda Vaughan it’s so easy to blame bullying. Not so easy to call him an entitled, racist terrorist. His family is campaigning very hard to make him appear as a victim.
I'm not him, so I can't speak for him, but I think he was using the racial and terroristic aspect of it as justification in his mind. I mean before that, he was scoping out a mall which would have random of all ethnicities and religions. Maybe it's because of previous shootings that occurred in mosques where other places of worship that made him lean that direction? Can't find anything really rational in something that is irrational.
Very very well said young lady!! 👊🏽👏👏👏
TBH I hear alot of teens referring to white boys as "white boys" now. That in its own is racist. Black, hispanic and even white kids and teens are calling these boys that are white "white boys" It seems innocent but they wouldn't get away with saying "hey black boy". They say it in a way to demoralize the boy. When I hear them say it I correct them and tell them to say his name or refer to him as a boy or man. The color of your skin shouldn't be involved at all. Nowadays any kid that doesn't take up for themselves is a victim of bullying. Bullying is part of life in my eyes. It weeds out the weak in a way but to a point. Do not bully people into suicide. Also if you go back in history before gunpowder was ever invented man has always killed in masses. Armies would raid the cities and kill all the people including kids attending schools with swords, crossbows etc. Humans are sick. Even today governments kill in masses but its ok if you are on the winning side right.
Do you have a degree in psychology Amanda, or are you just so confident in your own limited experiences that you are bold enough to be a YT loudmouth?
Lol. “How did he get such a warped view of the world around him?” Thank you news media. I’m an adult so I have more of an ability to understand the REASONS behind what I’m hearing on the media. What this kid did was terrible and unnecessary but I can totally see how a kids mind could see it differently. Our words our powerful. I wish the media would use it to help instead of making the ratings. You are part of this problem.
Grow up and open your eyes!
He was 28
I have a hard time finding sympathy for Bissonnette. Having endured bullying my whole life. Even now I go out in public and get rejected. It’s NEVER crossed my mind to cause harm to them.
This IS a complex issue and I don’t disagree that we should do all we can to understand in order to help prevent more however making him out to be a victim isn’t something that is ok.
I'm sorry you've had to go through being bullied your entire life, but I am really glad you aren't siding with him!! I totally agree we should not be painting him as a victim, which is exactly what this documentary is doing.
So? People are different. He wasn't "only" bullied, but obviously also had severe mental issues; a deadly mix. Some people see light at the end of the tunnel and find success in life after tragic experiences, while others crumble under these circumstances. You can't judge others by one's own standards. At the end of the day, he is a victim and perpetrator at the same time.
Thank you for your wise perspective
@@danielerhaben1895 He is absolutely not a victim, despite how hard you want to push that narrative.
We as humans live in very scary times with TOO MUCH hate & discrimination against things we do not understand. STOP JUDGING. MENTAL ILLNESS IS REAL!!!
"Oh shooting was his hobby. We gave him guns. He was comfortable and felt powerful around guns" SMH
Yeah im a gun guy and this is what happens when your not properly taught from an early age about the handling of a weapon.... As a young man, I didn't touch a gun unless my father was present...… Weapons aren't meant to make anybody feel powerful, his parents are idiots...
It can be a healthy thing, but not when you're unhealthy beforehand
I really object to this portrayal of “a broken boy” due to bullying. Many people are bullied, often terribly so. The difference is those people don’t have Bissonette’s narcissism and callousness. He fits the classic dark triad.
How harsh you are your heart is devoid of compassion for kids who are bullied. Not all bullied kids go on to kill certainly. But bullies are also criminals
Mental health is so very crucial, equal to physical health. I am a survivor of a lot of past trauma but years later physically suffered unbearably for 2 years, never knowing it was PTSD and depression making me so physically ill. I also couldnt leave my bedroom for over a year unless it was for my kids or to get groceries. I looked out my window every 5 minutes in absolute fear every single day. I did not know in those moments it was my mental health wrecking me physically. Each of us has a unique individual universe that is our amazing brain. We never know what goes on for another fully in that universe, except for snippets of what is offered. To suffer and not know it is a mental health issue is utterly terrifying. Like being trapped in a bubble slowly running out of air. Im beyond grateful for a team of people around me, from Drs, therapists, support groups, to amazing friends. Sorry for the length, but my point is, I wonder how many out there suffer mentally yet havent a clue like myself at the height of PTSD? And Im not speaking specifically to PTSD only but any mental issues.
it's been almost 6 years for me, i'm certain my depression and anxiety has contributed or caused my chronic fatigue. I'm glad you had a great support system and got help. I've tried and tried and gradually have gotten too fatigued and lost hope to try to seek it very often, each time I make the effort, i'm let down. Tiring 😞
If he was Muslim would you still call him a mental health patient?
What gets me most is how they continue to claim that the bullying he got was what made him do it and yet he never targeted those who inflicted him harm & allegedly tormented him
and they blame mythical bullies and excuse the murderer
I don't think that anyone is claiming that bullying was the only cause. People can have personality disorders that are sometimes genetic and sometimes caused by brain damage, either from illness or injury. Someone with a severe personality disorder may be influenced by things like bullying, abuse, neglect, abandonment, etc. So it becomes a perfect storm of personality plus environment that creates a mass murderer or serial killer.
Bullying may have played a part, but it wouldn't necessarily have created a murderer without an underlying personality disorder.
@@sali388 I don't think anyone is excusing his actions. My personal opinion on this issue is that bullying certainly isn't responsible for acts like his, but we are kidding ourselves if we deny that bullying doesn't contribute to things like these. If bullying wasn't an issue, there would still be mass killings, but I believe some of them may never have happened without the experiences of bullying. It's a complicated issue that doesn't have one single solution. A vast majority of victims of abuse don't become abusers themselves, but the data shows that most abusers were victims of abuse when they were growing up. We would be doing a dis-service to our children, and our communities if we chose to ignore the impact that bullying can have on people's mental health.
If he was trying to be a hero, to save people what was his motive for his trip to the mall to shoot anyone and everyone? If he wanted to be a hero surely being caught on a security camera wouldn't have stopped him. I don't assume to understand all of this, I'm not liberal enough to feel like society failed this or any shooter. I think suggesting he was trying to save people is insulting to his victims and their loved ones.
The majority of the time the children of bullying never targets the children who bullying them the children of the bullying holds it in when they are young they Don't know where or how to react to the bullying they cower down and withdrawal. Until one day they explode and hurt people that has done nothing to them its all around sad 😥 outcomes.
Sad he never got the help he needed. A few years back, a US Psychiatrist interviewed every murderer on Death Row. 96% had at least 3 of the following in common: childhood abuse, mental health issues, bullied/socially isolated, head injury resulting in personality change ( brain's frontal lobe controls empathy, emotion & impulse control). Fred & Rose West each had all 4. Rose's brain injury was due to her mother being given electric shock therapy when 8 months pregnant. Rose was 'slow' from birth.
"They thought owning guns was a healthy hobby for their struggling [suicdal] son." Yeah, about that common sense you ordered? Sorry for the 25 year delay but it's in stock now.
Demeter I love crime shows and always hear something like, ‘he was a normal, happy man who loved to hunt’. Call me radical but I see a link between gun use and violence.
@@Jdjustsaying People who kill animals for sport are, by definition, violent.
This goes far beyond the particular actions of certain people. Mass murder is a symptom of a sick society. The first mass murderer was Charles Whitman who shot at people from the tower at Univ of Texas in Austin in the 1960's. Yet no one asks why no mass killings happened before this. Did so many people just individually become "evil" after that ? Mass murders will go on unabated until people begin to ask what is wrong with a society that has suddenly begun to produce such people. ... Art.Curator.2016@gmail.com
@@barbh1 where do you think your food comes from? jesus christ the lack of self awareness.
@@barbh1 if it's for fun its terrible if they hunt and then eat the animal it's not. But just killing for sport is disgusting
It seems at the heart of these incidents there is bullying or not fitting in. Not being able to make social connections or being part of a group is devastating. These people will either become reclusive or do something for attention. It pisses me off that the old lady teacher was aware of his bullying and nothing was done by the school.
Be careful where you place blame. It could be that the teacher tried to intervene, but found her superiors silenced her.
@@mariekatherine5238 I doubt it. The teachers are adults and if they are silenced then they are being bullied to. She should stick up for the kid
This documentary completely missed the mark. He killed innocent people at a mosque, not the bullies that tormented him. He didn't snap because of bullying. He was radicalized because of the rise of xenophobia in Canada. He said he did it to save people from "terrorism" not to seek revenge on his bullies.
he just wanted to kill and be justified. He had look a feminist event at our local university in the weeks prior to the shooting. But we had historical mass feminicide in the 80's, so he probably felt it would be more acceptable to kill muslims and he was sadly not that wrong there are people who defend him or consider his sentence (life without parole for 40 years) too harsh.
But yeah they missed the mark. They wouldn't have protrayed him this way if he was arab!
The bullying is connected and should be mentioned in my opinion but what you are saying is also very true and should have been indeed in the documentary
@@apostoliagkolfinopoulou3776 he would have been Muslim no one would have cared about bullying!
@@miss1of2 unfortunately very true://
Juliet it is all part of the back story surely
This is too difficult to explain all that I'm feeling ...
Fifth Estate is one journalism platform I trust with such stories. They keep it real and on the forefront.
"I heard at school that he had a plan." Okay....and did you do anything about it?
yea because they would raise alarm if you said , i heard from someone he has a plan but im not really sure they would laugh at you right in your face i think
@@kennyclauw9713 Better having tried and laughed in your face though than not having spoken up and regretting it afterwards.
Oh, please. He was 28 years old at the time of the murders.
@@principecaprincipeca2243 Are you saying he was too young to understand? He is where he should be.
@@sparx180 the 28 years old? He was an adult. But a 17 year old is still a child and should be tried as a juvenile.
What is disturbing was he had self esteem issues, everyone can see it. With a gun, he felt powerful. Stop right there! 🔴
When I went to school, I stuck up for the kids that were bullied. Why aren’t kids helping others, instead of standing by, not doing anything? I feel very sorry for this kid and, all of his victims.
me too, then always became the target, even/especially as an adult
It's too bad for the families he never found the help he so badly needed. Seems everyone except alexander has taken responsibility for what he has done.
All these people fluttering around the poor little frightened white supremacist. Did they write letters to the mosque victims? Did they care about them? Did they pray for their families? Did Fifth Estate investigate what they accomplished in their lives?
Demeter well said.
All these pathetic closet monsters defending this terrorist trying to sound humane.
They are doing a horrible job at it!
Anyone wrote a letter to Montreal terror attack victims?? Gamil Gharbi also killed innocent women and man. Somehow no one says anything about that.So Gamil Gharbi changed his name to Marc Lépine
and you forgot all about that terrorist. Hypocrite.
No need
He was going to gun ranges and drinking something his parents knew and tried to act like they didn't see anything wrong with their child..
He wasn't living at home at the time
Not once is there a mention of the innocent lives that have been lost, it's all about the lunatics that committed the horrendous crimes!
True
Bravo for noticing
Fifth estate standards are now dubious
Kind of makes you wonder if it makes the problem of violence worse. If media coverage focused on victims rather than the perpetrator we might actually see a decrease in these types of violent crimes.
What? you didn't see in this long 44mn documentary how Mark Kelly mentioned over and over the victims? Well I didm
during this long 44mn documentary I heard over and over about Alexander and his parents what they were going through, poor them, I feel very sorry for the little kid Alex and his parents.
So true
He kept reminding me of someone. It was bothering me until I figured out it was the actor, Topher Grace. Total doppelgangers. That said, bullying is terrorism condoned and ignored by authorities in our schools and it is devastating to young developing minds and scars you for life.
Agreed.
I LOVE The Fifth Estate........ I just subscribed. Mark Kelley is a GREAT journalist, keep up the good work.
The Teacher took more responsibility than his own parents and that's the tragedy.
I don't blame his parents for being in the state that they're in right now. I imagine the entire thing is hard to fathom. I also believe they're carrying a lot of guilt and in a way are also grieving the loss of their son. Sometimes you have to be away from something long enough to be able to have clarity. You heard how long it took Klebold's Mom to come to terms with everything, and understand where she was lacking that she otherwise couldn't comprehend in the beginning. I saw her Ted Talk a while ago, and it was really insightful.
He was in his 30s ffs!
@@principecaprincipeca2243 He was? I missed that part somewhere, but what are you trying to get at? (Not being rude btw, genuinely curious what you're referring to? Is it who's responsible for his actions??)
@@JustJ-Me teachers, patents. He was no Kid anymore. He was nearly 30 years old. Born -89.
@@principecaprincipeca2243 oh, okay. I get what you're saying. I think it's really hard to put responsibility on the school system since they aren't his full-time time Guardians. They can only do so much in regard to bullying. I didn't realize he was so close to 30. I thought he was probably in his early twenties, which still doesn't excuse the fact. I was actually surprised I have never heard of this guy. I'm not sure where you're from, but I'm from the USA. *And even his Guardians aren't to blame. I think people just want to find a place to direct their anger and confusion.
Ok this documentary is making me SO MAD!!!!!
I live 4 street corners from the mosque and I know people who lost someone that night!!
Bullying is the worst but most bullied people don't end up shooting up a mosque and comparing the crime of a 25 years old man to those of 17 years old kids is horrible.
I agree! So many people, if not all, go through bullying. A lot go through severe bullying. Yes, it's awful and damaging for children/teens but going out & killing others doesn't justify anything. This whole victim mentality is pathetic. If it was a non-white person who went into a place of worship, they'd be painted as a terrorist without mention of being bullied.
The teacher is such a hypocrite. She saw what he was going through and did nothing
It's like a cycle of brokenness, the child gets bullied, he builds anger inside, there's no support. The parents didn't see the signs, the teachers couldn't stop the bullying, the criminal system thinks jail is better, society doesn't forgive...gosh. We have broken systems all around us. God help us. I feel horrible for everyone involved, including this kid.
Wow let's call it what it is ! A KILLER Monster who figured he could do what he please. Many people had a whole lot less and went through so much more! Stop coddling these savages. How long will you let this go on?
Stfu you fool
exactly!
Thank you! They really went too far to justify the massacre.
"Mentally ill" is the wrong word. Someone who has a chromosome to much could be considered that.
What is said in the video is very true, you need to understand to prevent.
If you just say "hE cRaZy" then things like this will happen more and more.
I love The Fifth Estate. Binge watch it All the time!
One of the things that I think really needs to be addressed is the hopeless feeling that young people feel who are being bullied. Really reaching out to victims of bullying, and helping them to understand that their adolescent tribulations don't last forever, and that they can get through it to adulthood as stronger and more empathetic people. Bullying is a problem that won't simply go away. It's something that we as members of society need to eradicate, but we also have to understand that it won't happen overnight. Mass shooting is inexcusable, and there is simply no reason for tragedies like that to happen.
Many of these kids who are bullied because of their differences WHICH ARE, IN MANY INSTANCES, ADHD.
@@prettyastounding7924 indeed, a very misunderstood disorder.
I feel for all the victims, and his parents and family are also victims. He has a twin, I wonder how he is feeling? Was he also bullied at this school, or did he know what his brother was up to?
I wondered that. Plus, WHY was he bullied at around age 9, and then onward? On the spectrum? Was he an incel? And how do we stop bullying?
People won't want to hear this but parents need to teach their kids to fight back to bullies. It won't stop until they show they won't be an easy target. They don't even have to win the fight, but showing the bullies that it will be a fight every time is the only solution unfortunately. Teaching kids how to deal with bullies early in life is the key. I feel bad this kid wasn't taught what he needed to know.
Maybe'parents'shouldnt raise bullies
you are 100% right
Parents knew he had mental issues, knew he had weapons seems pretty cut and dry
Marty Fowler You obviously don’t have any experience with gun cultures, and you are showing your prejudice toward people with mental health issues. Nothing is ever cut and dry in regards to human behavior. Even the vast majority of psychopaths never kill anyone.
@@QuietBloom I'm not falling for this obvious troll...
Marty Fowler So, you are saying his parents are responsible? I actually do agree that his parents should have thought twice about buying him a gun. But to say that they are responsible for what he did, is too far a reach.
QuietBloom His parents knew that you cannot have a weapons license if you have been treated for a mental illness. laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/f-11.6/fulltext.html
I feel compassion for him. Being relentlessly bullied can essentially cripple someone. Add on top the bullying, underlying preexisting mental health issues, and it's ultimately a recipe for disaster.
No, that's not why he carried on the attack. He was racist and had hate that he wanted to let out on a specific a group of people. He was 28, "I was bullied" is'nt an excuse for something this cruel and horrible, he definitely had hate within him.
@@alio6051 You are wrong.
@@danielerhaben1895 explain
@@alio6051 facts. There are so many bullied people who turn out fine.
Richard Grannon of the UK nailed it: We have a pandemic of narcissism and it's being ignored. Narcissism has the belief the individual is not responsible for their feelings, thoughts and actions. A belief that has come down the centuries with the propaganda of the messiah solving all problems and a god is controlling everything.
The parents, pupils and the teacher knew he was being severely bullied, but it wasn’t stopped
He acted out as an upset person with fatal consequences. He could have killed himself if he had so much hurt and pain. No he wanted to hurt others who were going about their lives.
Selfish
Olivia P A monster!!!!
But he didn't want them to regard his suicide as proof he was a loser.
Even when we tell someone we know someone dangerous, you just say "well they haven't done anything yet."
What a wonderful example of journalism. Wish there were more like you.
I thought this was excellently done. And rare.
At least the description was correct. “A semi-automatic rifle.” Most people cincorrectly call it an “assault weapon” which shows they know zero about guns.
Dear Mr. Bissonnette
My food doesn't have taste, the air i breathe doesn't have a fragrance . I live a day that seems to never end. I can remember kindergarten like it was yesterday and i am over 50 years old. I have no enjoyment for life i just exist for the hate.
I was just like your son,the same thoughts and experiences made me feel much like he did. I to had a plan and I can tell you that there was nothing you could have done to change his mind. Every time i hear about mass shooters or serial killers i relate to them and they make me stop. I don't want to be like them it is just something that takes over you. When i have these thoughts i go on my bicycle and just ride it clears my mind.
All the professionals in this program say they can stop this from happening, i am here to tell you that they can't!
Mr.Bissonnette don't try to understand what you son did, don't look for answers, there are dentists, doctors, mechanics and killers in this world accept it and ask forgiveness from the people your son killed it is the only way out of your pain.
Schools need to address bullying (period) Teaching morals and values could go a long way ! Obviously kids aren't understanding the consequences.
I'm watching this after another mass shooting by a kid, whose father bought him a gun for Xmas; whose mother said, don't get caught. Kid will be in prison for life, and parents are facing various charges.
December, 2021.
What was that please? In Canada?
@@dlo111 Forget. US, I believe. Another one a couple of days ago; race related.
I know how that soul felt. I have been there. Bullied all my life, even now... Luckily I did not have an access to firearm. Culture was different. and have an insight which saved me. I do not have sympathy but I do empathize
You guys did a really good job of humanizing this killer. It's nice to know even if you do something considered horrible by many there's a channel that will show a good side. Cheers CBC
Shame on Canada for this documentary
They might as well make him like Al Bundy in Netflix
Man he thought school was tough it is a cake walk compared to prison talk about being bulied
These types are placed in solitary confinement, they wouldn’t survive Gen Pop
@@kenblank9892 40 years of solitary confinement... he will regret that he didn't kill himself that night.(the night of the tragedy)
Thank you Fifth estate!
Personally I think this piece was a huge insult to the dead and families of the dead who were not doing anything but practicing their religion. Perhaps Mr Bisonnette knows there is no reasoning why his son did an atrocity and declined an interview but expressed that he will always love him. I saw very little on the targets of the shooting and a heck of a lot on the shooter. He was not insane, he was found guilty as he was aware if his actions and consequences of his actions. We don't need to know more.
and the music accompanying the peek into the the faces of victims is vulgar and inappropriate. i can't believe this!
Am I supposed to feel sorry for him A lot of people get bullied There is absolutely no excuse to any did truly disgusting
The irony. Committing terrorism to stop terrorists.
In spite of the voluminous “armchair “ psychoanalysis, I don’t think it’s possible to really know why mass shooters do what they do. The best the “experts” can offer is a generalized checklist of characteristics that could apply to any number of people who don’t become mass shooters.
It's amazing they can blame everyone but the shooter.
They are not blaming everyone but the shooter, the message here is how a society can we improve what we do, and look what we can change about ourselves
The shooter gets life behind bars, of course we blame the shooter, but the message here is that as a society we failed as well.
@@tucker8071 He's a fecking Narcissist - you can't rehabilitate NPD
Why on earth have I never heard of this in my mental health studies? Heck, why did we not hear about it here in the US, especially this?!
This is one of the reason I went into Forensic Psychology and Applied Behavior. Because parents don't know so, I'm wanting to learn the clues and ques so that parents or others can see it and stop it before it happens.. He knew it was wrong so he isn't insane, he could have not done it and went in and got mental health help and told them what he wanted to do..
Seems Alexandre is a twin, yet no mention of this! Did his twin experience the bullying too?
he has a twin!!!?
@@sali388 Yes he does have a twin!
We all have choices that we make every day. My hope is that as I write this, any who read my comments, whether you are about to make a comment yourself or perhaps if you are a person who is looking for your own answers - you stop and listen to this. Every life matters. There can be no free exchange of ideas if we as a society begin to see parts of society as unworthy or people as nothing more than moving objects. Reporting on behaviors such as this - we reporters have the maximum weight of responsibility to see beyond the haze and tell a story that has no possible good ending. To a person who is contemplating any action akin to the actions depicted in this piece, I would ask you to ask yourself this one question - what possible good can an action like this one create? The pen is mightier than the sword. Violence is never the answer. Look for the good in yourself. Once you find it it will free you so that you can seek and find the good in others. Once found - there is nothing good in you that could harm the good in others. The peace that you are seeking begins with you. And you will never find that peace through violence. None of us are angels. None of us are devils either. Each of us actively choose which side of the line we want to fall on. Don’t blur that line. Take a deep breath and say to yourself, “I am no angel - but - I want to be one.” Then everything will be ok.
I think everything you said is really great, and even important. It was written really beautifully. I don't feel as though people who are considering anything similar to this as having enough self-worth to even begin that kind of questioning. In my mind, they feel that they are worthless and therefore see the world as a negative and worthless place. I could only hope that your words would be "enough" for someone to not continue an act such as this violence.
Very well said 👍
See beyond the haze...great choice of words.
Name the bullies. Disgusting people should be named and shamed
Dear Mr. Bisonnette, at least media gave you the opportunity to express yourself. When someone does a terrorist attack under our name, we are requested to shut up. I hope that one day the confirmation bias stops, this is the most dangerous weapon of today.
I saw in his infant photos that there appeared to be a twin, is this twin still living? What happened was a tragedy of the worst, for so many including his family. This is a lesson on early intervention on bullying. One of my younger brothers was perpetually bullied in school but the attitude then was that he should 'toughen up and it would pass. He broke and never really recovered. With a lot of counselling Alexandre may find his way out from the confusion. I wish all concerned well.
yeah his twin is still living he actually posted on reddit about his brother
I feel like the fbi or cia of Canada should look up everyone of the children who bullied him and they should have to pay the families of those lost.
Although I agree with you, I don't think it's the children who were responsible ultimately, they were just children doing what children do (unfortunately, it seems inherent group behaviour to scapegoat individuals in order to bolster their 'in' group dynamics)
Ultimately it's all the adults around the children at school who time and time again look the other way, minimise the bullying, blaming and holding the victim responsible for what's happening to them.
It's appalling that it's STILL happening.
Yes, it's better than it was in that at least schools/work now acknowledge it happens everywhere, but more has to be done, it's just SO damaging to be ostracised and isolated.
The pain mass shooters are inflicting on others is an expression of their own pain, imho.
Lol nah, he still chose to do this all by himself.
How do you just ignore the fact that your son is being bullied at school for YEARS!! Even the teachers are aware of it and DO NOTHING!!!
We need to study these people, very very closely, during their time in prison. We should not give up trying to understand why young men - and it seems always to be young men - kill masses of people for apparently no reason. There is a reason and parents are not able to spot it, neither are professional doctors and psychiatrists. But times change, medicine and psychiatry improve. What is the point of locking them up and forgetting about them? Investigate, ask, study, visit, time and time again. Win.
For such an official show, you might want to create actual subtitles in at least English and French. Don't depend on automatic mode. It doesn't work for those who need a bit of help... Or are hard of hearing! Thanks.
There are subtitles.
It's true sub titles are auto generated and only in English
These people have one thing in common, they are all cowards! They feel weak and insignificant, and by committing a crime will give them the prestige and power they feel can not be gained any other way. It's not mental illness, it's low self esteem and pure evil. The two are a deadly mix. A bully is a very tormented person, and are made to feel more insignificant than the people they bully. If you look at their lives they are miserable. And children take out their feelings in a physical way, punch or hug, if they do not have guidance in how to handle their feelings. Look at a bully for what they really are, a jealous person that wants more than anything to be you or have your life instead of theirs.
And right now there's a stand off at a synagogue in Texas.
I'm just watching this for the first time. It seems NOBODY will address the fact that ALL of these shooters are on some kind of antipsychotic medication and other drugs and alcohol. In the world of medicate don't spank, big pharma and the governments are also to blame for this. And wasn't he a twin?
Are you on any medication. Is anyone you care about or love on medication. It's difficult to find anyone in U.S. who isn't taking something here.
I wonder if the Dr's studied his twin? Same family, upbringing and environment, but different outcome. Wondering if his twin was also bullied.
Seems obvious to me that bullying is the biggest factor. Maybe a ciluminative effect of years of bullying and mistreatment. People should be nice to each other
Yeah but he didn't attack bullies he attacked random innocent families.
Keep him in jail for the safety of other’s!
He is a killer!
Sorry to say this but what can we say?
Exactly he is a terrorist to my eyes!
He is a criminal and his family don’t care!
Bullying isn't taken nearly as seriously as it should be. The response to it is not nearly as strong as it should be. It has such serious consequences, especially over years and it happens when kids and young adults are so vunerable. When kids are subjected to this, it's soul crushing and so damaging to the core. Parents - whole families - need to be totally present in their children's lives and the response to bullying has to be much much more proactive. Friends need to say something if they see their friend isn't "right", is struggling. Teachers needs to take note. Neighbors...anyone. I don't know what else we can do.
I have to be honest, I am deeply bothered by this episode. Notice how the focus of this entire show is on the “mentally ill” murderer. How about a show discussing the murdered victims where we meet their families and friends and character witnesses who share about THEIR lives??? Oh, and let us remember, the murdered men (commonly labeled as terrorist) were killed; and they are the folks we are supposed to be so afraid of and striving to protect our society from. But in reality, who are the MOST common mass murdering culprits in the West??? 😥😥😥
It's because he's white. If the skin tones or religions were reversed, this documentary would have the opposite spin.
Cla Lyrics, 💯%!!! Case in point. The so-called “islamophobia” needs to be redirected to a different group of murdering terrorist, who continuously unleash this type of violence in the Western world.
Bullying is mentioned at the beginning but doesn't expand on who was bullying him, could it be ....... I wonder if this was a church attacked if they would expand on the bullying
What you are insinuating totally justifies his actions
Kid: Just buys his 8th firearm.
White Parent: I was ill equipped to recognise what was happening.
He was no Kid anymore
I don't agree with the "parents didn't know". A parent lives in the house with their children. They cook their dinners, wash their clothes, etc. You mean to tell me the parent saw nothing strange. Most of the young mass murderers come from financially stable parents that own guns as a hobby in their homes. It's so crazy that they want to study and understand young mass murderers but lock drug dealers and gang members up for life.
I agree with you! They didn't think his collection of guns, going beyond hunting rifles wasn't concerning?
Seeing the videos of his father so proud & the innocent boy. It must be like walking death to a parent.
Schools often do not help
So, Bissonette was on anti-psychotic drugs as well. How many other "shooters" were on the same medications, I wonder.
You know the lizard overlords can track you on the internet, right? Even if you're wearing your tinfoil hat, your computer isn't.
Vee Friend it’s not the anti-psychotic drugs that is the issue.....hundreds of thousands of people are on anti-psychotics and would never consider harming anyone. My brother in law lives with us and is on 4 different anti-psychotic meds every day and he would never hurt a fly let alone innocent people. He is bi-polar and a manic depressive and the drugs actually keep him alive ( they keep him from being so depressed that becomes suicidal). Your implication that being on anti-psychotic meds and being a mass-shooter are related is ignorant and uneducated.....
@@novascotiaskater1868 First of all Skater, my view is that when we comment on others' comments, we really should remain polite and respectful. Your comment to me: "ignorant and uneducated" is meant to insult perhaps?
It's unclear what you mean by "uneducated". Unschooled?
And I take it that your use of "ignorant" may refer to me being ignorant of the facts? The words you use to try to discredit me are known as weaponized language.
1. From my reading of 'shooters', most are on some sort of anti-psychotic pharmaceutical. Do a search.
2. Many people are more susceptible to a chemical which may push them 'over the edge' into vicious acts. You can find a very strong evidence for this by doing a thorough search.
3. One person's experience, or several, does not a case make. Apparently many people do quite well on these drugs.
Here is a launching point to start your search. Read all of the comments following the article. They're very interesting.
And keep in mind, 'big pharma' has big power and the power to limit, online, many studies showing the link between antipsychotics/neuroleptics and actual psychosis.
@@veefriend4201 lol okay boomer
@@helloisitmeurlookingfor5898 just reading the comments is enough to make anyone doubt the integrity of humanity.
the main problem here is the access to weapons. Without weapons, such an act is not possible. Teachers and school psychologists in schools must focus more on mobbing / bullying. Parents must confidently strengthen their children so that they do not become victims.
Left out of the discussion is Ethnic Nationalism, the elephant in the room.
Conveniently so
Yes. Totally.
Weeks before he wanted to shoot up a Mall. That doesn’t fit with your narrative. The guy has serious mental problems.
@@johnvanzyl2960 and "Quebecois de Souche" is not racist at aĺl ! It merely describes someone with French ancestry. The dominant culture should simply admit that promoting cultural pride via the Quiet Revolution produced xenophobia . And stop with all the fanciful explanations that support racism.
@@colint7743 Why are you putting words in my mouth.? Playing the race card shows me you have nothing of value to say.
A great report!
Very sad story..
For the shooter and the victims! 😢
Cultural enrichment diversity is strength
Stop giving sick psychopathic serial killers victim's narratives. I got news for you, kids who were bullied and struggled with mental health issues- everyone's been bullied, everyone's suffered from mental health issues at one point or another. The responsibility to rise above is on you, the failure to rise above that which life throws at you is the ultimate failure. You were a victim when you were bullied but not anymore. Now you're a monster. Instead of rising above and proving those who doubted you wrong, you proved them right, by doing the most despicable act.
Ottiti Spiti 👍🏻
I quote: “Did he want revenge, or respect?”. That was a very insightful question because if he wanted to avenge his bullying he would have shot up the school but he didn’t, he shot up a mosque.
…and again, he was bullied. Why are we not taking this seriously. Bullies need to be punished.
thank you Sue for doing what you do
I read Sue Klebod’s book “ A mother’s reckoning” and is great and heartbroken. Highly recommended.
I hope the bullies are watching this and raising their kids differently. There is no excuse for what this guy did, but I'm sure the bullying affected him deeply