The brave Moroccan victim was the owner of a halal butcher shop in Quebec.

Rabat – The Quebec government posthumously awarded Azzedine Soufiane, a Moroccan, the Good Citizen medal for bravery on Monday.

Canada gave medals to people killed and injured in a terrorist attack on a mosque in Quebec City on January 29, 2017. An armed man carried out the attack during the evening prayer, entering the Islamic Cultural Centre of Quebec and opening fire in all directions. The terrorist killed six people and injured several others.

According to Radio Canada, Soufiane, 57, tried to hold the murderer back when he was attempting to reload his weapon. However, the terrorist freed himself and killed Soufiane.

Quebec honored the Moroccan man for his act of heroism at the Salon Rouge of the National Assembly.

“[Azzedine Soufiane] tried everything to help his friends. The bravery he has shown is the most beautiful proof of all the goodness that inhabited this man,” the ceremony host was quoted by the radio.

Soufiane’s wife and his three children received the medal on his behalf.

His eldest daughter Zined said that she felt honored, thanking the organizers “We will keep this medal in our family,” she said.

After Soufiane’s death, members of the Moroccan community in Quebec said that Soufiane was a “beloved member of the community.”

The Moroccan had immigrated to Canada and been living there for more than 20 years. He owned a halal butchery.

Several Moroccans residing abroad have been honored for bravery.

In December 2018, Italian President Sergio Mattarella honored Moroccan immigrant Mustapha El Aoudi with a merit award for his heroic act in saving an Italian doctor from a murder attempt.

El Aoudi acted quickly on December 4 in the Italian city of Crotone when a 50-year-old man attacked and stabbed Dr. Maria Carmela Calindro in front of the San Giovanni di Dio Hospital, blaming her for the death of his mother.Another Moroccan living in Italy received a job offer after returning a lost wallet with €900 inside it.