Quebec’s Crown prosecutor has announced the temporary suspension of charges against 11 teenagers in Longueuil who had been accused of offences related to incidents that allegedly preceded the fatal police shooting of 15-year-old Nooran Rezayi last September.
What the prosecutor’s office said
According to a news release from the Crown’s office, new material came to light after the charges were laid that triggered a complex legal question. The prosecutor said the criminal proceedings are paused for the moment but could be reopened within a one-year period, pending further review and consultations.
Charges that were laid
The youths had faced a range of accusations connected to alleged events before Rezayi’s death. The list of charges included:
- Conspiracy to kidnap
- Conspiracy to commit unlawful confinement
- Conspiracy to commit assault
- Wearing a disguise for a criminal purpose
- Possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose
- Unlawful assembly
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Number of accused | 11 teens |
| Victim | Nooran Rezayi, 15 |
| Status of charges | Stayed (temporarily) |
| Possible resumption | Within one year |
Parallel investigations
Separate from the Crown’s decision about the criminal charges, the matter of the police intervention is under scrutiny by an independent oversight body. A police watchdog has been conducting its own inquiry into the actions of the Longueuil police in relation to Rezayi’s death.
The shooting prompted an investigation that was opened by the Montreal police department following the incident last September. That probe, together with the watchdog review and ongoing Crown deliberations, means multiple processes are unfolding at once.
Community and legal implications
The stay raises several immediate consequences for the accused youths and the community. Practically, the suspension halts criminal court timelines for now, and it preserves the Crown’s ability to revive charges if additional analysis or consultations justify that step within the statutory window.
For residents of Longueuil and surrounding neighbourhoods, the development is likely to intensify interest in how the province’s justice system balances evidentiary questions, the rights of young people, and public demands for transparency in incidents involving police use of force.
What to expect next
- The Crown will continue to review the new evidence and consult with relevant parties as it considers whether to reinstate the proceedings.
- The independent watchdog’s findings into Longueuil police conduct will proceed on its own track and may inform public understanding and potential administrative or criminal outcomes.
- Any decision to resume charges would have to be taken within the one-year period specified by the prosecutor’s office.
At this stage, public details remain limited to the Crown's announcement and the list of previous charges. The complex legal question cited by the prosecutor’s office was not described in detail in the release.
The case has drawn attention because it intersects youth justice, policing practices and community safety—issues that resonate across Quebec after a year that has seen heightened public scrutiny of law-enforcement interventions. As multiple inquiries continue, the province’s courts and oversight bodies will determine whether criminal proceedings are reinstated and how the police inquiry proceeds.
WE NEWS will follow developments as Crown counsel, defence representatives and oversight investigators provide updates, and will report on any decisions about restarting the prosecutions or on the outcome of the watchdog’s review.
