Before his death Wednesday, there were clear signs Aaron driver was radicalized while living in Winnipeg.
In February, he exited a Manitoba court and then left Winnipeg after agreeing to a peace bond. Driver had been arrested on suspicions of being involved in terrorist activity.
Driver rented a room in a house on Carlotta Crescent in Charleswood. RCMP raided the home in June of 2015.
At the time, police said Driver was in constant contact with terrorists around the world including two prominent members of ISIS.
“We were never able to establish the nature of the communication due to the fact that they were using encrypted application.” said Mike Cabana, Assistant RCMP Commissioner in Ottawa
Driver's landlord initially put up a $1,500 surety to secure his 2015 release, but she revoked it just weeks later.
According to court documents, Genevieve Van Oers had concerns about her tenant.
"I can no longer approve or have him stay in my home (Christian) and have requested him to move into a Muslim home to be better educated within that religion,” wrote Van Oers.
“His comment(s) against the police are worrisome and therefore have a discrepancy to my beliefs. Have also requested him to speak to a clergyman but he is not yet in agreement to this."
In his teens, Driver lived with his father and stepmother in St. James. For a time he attended classes at the Stevenson-Britannia Adult Learning Centre. His dad said following a battle with alcohol and drugs, his son turned to Islam
“It was like a light went out and it was never turned back on. As far as this Islamic stuff, that was about three years ago, and we had hoped it was just a fad,” said Wayne Driver from Cold Lake, Alberta.
Driver's former lawyer is shocked by the allegations. Leonard Tailleur said the client he knew wasn't capable of such and act.
"Zero, nothing, and even the RCMP didn't charge him criminally, just asked for a peace bond,” said Tailleur.
