The mass shooting in British Columbia has sparked discussions about the shooter’s online activities and radicalization. 

ISD’s Steven Rai spoke to a number of outlets to help the public better understand this tragic incident. Speaking to The New York Times Steven explained how evidence suggests the shooter avidly consumed violent, nihilistic content and unpacked this developing trend in the extremist landscape. 

“We are seeing a trend proliferating globally of children being attracted to this concept of nihilistic violence,” Steven explained. “These are individuals who gain a sense of excitement and entertainment from consuming violent content online, attack footage and extremist content in some cases.” 

In an extensive interview with Canada’s National Observer, Steven highlighted how while the shooter’s motives are unknown, her digital footprint shows an obsession with firearms and continual struggle with mental illnesses.

The full articles are available on The New York Times, Canada’s National Observer, CBC’s Cross Country Checkup and the Tyee.