Police shoot man after landlord knifed

A Laval peace office shot a man whom they say “had mental health issues”, Jan. 24, after the suspect allegedly pointed a rifle at the policeman.

“A police officer arrived at 973 Rose de Lima, near Highway 25 and de la Concorde, after we received a call about an altercation between 2-4 people,” Const. Franco di Genova told The Suburban. “There, the officer found two men, aged 40 and 85, who had apparently been slashed or lightly stabbed in the chest and arm by a knife.”

Const. di Genova said that the suspect, aged 34, who also resided in the triplex, was not on the scene when the first officer reached the premises.

“Once backup arrived to take care of the victims, the officer went to the suspect’s apartment and found an empty rifle case on top of the bed,” he continued.

Soon afterward, patrol officers located the suspect in the parking lot of the Laval gardening college at 1051 Pierre Bédard, opposite the nature centre.

“The suspect had the rifle in his hands. He didn’t put it down, but pointed it at the officer, at which point one shot was fired and the suspect was hit in the right shoulder and fell to the ground,” recounted Const. di Genova. “Officers then took away the rifle and handcuffed the conscious suspect, who was transferred to hospital by ambulance.”

Laval police are now referring all calls to the Sûreté du Québec. The provincial police force was called in to conduct an independent investigation, which is standard practice whenever a peace officer must discharge a weapon in the course of duty.

Const. di Genova added that the 85-year-old victim and the suspect both remain at the Sacré Cœur Hospital primary trauma treatment centre. The 40-year-old victim was hospitalized but subsequently released.