Crime

Accused in Quebec City mosque shooting pleads not guilty

By Annabelle Olivier Global News

Posted March 26, 2018 10:51 am

Updated March 26, 2018 1:36 pm

1 min read

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Alexandre Bissonnette is escorted to a van after appearing in court for the deadly shooting at a mosque on January 30, 2017 in Quebec City. Bissonnette will bypass his preliminary hearing and go straight to trial. Monday, Oct. 2, 2017. — In this Jan. 2017 file photo, Alexandre Bissonnette is escorted to a van after appearing in court in connection with a deadly shooting at a Quebec City mosque. Bissonnette pleaded not guilty to 12 counts of murder and attempted murder as pre-trial motions got underway in Quebec City on Monday, March 26, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot

The accused in the Quebec City mosque shooting entered a not-guilty plea Monday morning as pre-trial motions got underway in Quebec City.

Alexandre Bissonnette, 28, was arrested after a gunman stormed into the Centre culturel Islamique de Quebec during evening prayers on Jan. 29, 2017.

Six men were killed in the attack and 19 other people were injured — five of whom suffered serious injuries.

Bissonnette is facing six counts of first-degree murder and six of attempted murder using a restricted firearm — five counts for the injured and one for the 35 people who were at the mosque the night of the shooting but were not injured.

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Bissonnette pleaded not guilty to all 12 charges.

Alexandre Bissonnette pleads not guilty to 12 counts of murder and attempted murder in the #QuebecCitymosque shooting on Jan.29,2017
— Raquel Fletcher (@RaquelDFletcher) March 26, 2018

Lawyers for the accused are expected to file a series of motions ahead of the trial, which is set to begin the first week of April with jury selection.

A publication ban is in place for pre-trial motions scheduled for Monday and Tuesday.

The trial is expected to last two months.

WATCH BELOW: Deadly shooting in Quebec City