A Sûreté du Québec police officer and a suspect have died in an incident in Louiseville, Que., near Trois-Rivières. A second police officer was injured, but he is expected to recover.
Provincial police say they went to a residence on Monday at around 8:30 p.m. to carry out an arrest for threats when Sgt. Maureen Breau was stabbed.
Two more police officers arrived on the scene and shot and killed the suspect. According to Radio-Canada sources, the suspect is Isaac Brouillard Lessard.
Lessard had had run-ins with law enforcement in the past but was never found criminally responsible. He was released on conditional discharge and given two years of community service for an assault charge last year.
Breau had over 20 years of experience with the SQ.
Quebec’s independent police investigation unit will investigate and the Service de Police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) will hold a parallel criminal investigation.
The people who live in the building are being cared for by the Red Cross at a motel where they will stay until investigators are done examining the scene, said Louiseville Mayor Yvon Deshaies.
Stéphane Caron said he took out his garbage during the conflict, and shared his emotions over the police officer slain outside his home.
Neighbour Stéphane Caron says he saw everything while taking the trash out Monday night.
“I heard four gun shots — boom boom boom boom — it happened so fast. One of the police officers fell from the second floor after being stabbed, another one was stabbed, the guy was shot and he’s dead,” he said.
“I turned off my TV and sat at home, I don’t want to leave my house now. It was dangerous, it’s right next to me, just three doors down from me.”
Mayor Deshaies said he was shaken up by the events and he feels bad for Breau’s family.
“Stay strong. You will live through sadness, hatred and rage,” he said.
“I am sorry because [the suspect] has a father and mother, maybe brothers and sisters. They will suffer, too […] But I stand behind the officer who closed his eyes forever.”
Quebec’s public security minister, François Bonnardel, tweeted out his sympathies for Breau’s family and her colleagues.
“Today reminds us that police officers have a dangerous job,” he said. “I can never thank them enough for their sacrifices.”
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