They left for the daycare center and never came back: on Wednesday, a bus driver crashed into a daycare center in a peaceful district of Laval, claiming the lives of two children and injuring six others, creating a veritable wave of shock in the province.
On Wednesday morning, Pierre Ny St-Amand, a seemingly uneventful Société de transport de Laval (STL) driver, reportedly headed for the Sainte-Rose neighborhood in the north of the city. At the same time, around 8:30 a.m., parents dropped off their children at the Ste-Rose educational daycare, Dufferin terrace, not far from Sénécal Street.
It is a quaint neighborhood with narrow streets lined with mature trees. Peaceful until the driver, for some unknown reason, decided to leave the road to cross the parking lot and rush head-on into the daycare.
Cacophony and horror. The driver allegedly got off the bus and was overpowered by relatives and neighbors on the spot. Emergency services were called to the scene to rescue the numerous small victims. An emergency unit has been set up, with a series of workers who can help children and parents affected by the tragedy.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
Melanie Guérard and her family
“It’s indescribable, how we feel,” testified Mélanie Guérard in the evening. Her daughter Kelly-Ann, 2 years and 10 months, attends this daycare. She was in another group at the time of the tragedy and avoided the worst. “Since this morning, we haven’t stopped crying, continued the mother, still in shock. We can’t eat. If it was mine, I don’t know how I could survive. »
“As a father, it’s very difficult,” said an elderly man who observed the scene, in tears. It’s precious, children, it’s innocent. Mine are old, but if I go back 20 years, that was their age. I have never seen that. »
The balance sheet was finally revealed during the day: two young children died. One of them was going to be 5 years old in 10 days, the other was 4 years old. Six others were taken to hospital, but without fear for their lives.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
A woman meditates near the scene of the tragedy.
“My son has lost two great friends with whom he shared special moments every morning,” lamented Sébastien Courtois, father of a child who was seriously injured in the collision, on Radio-Canada.
“I think of this little boy and this little girl who will live on in the memory of their parents, but who will also live very strongly in our minds,” he added. Tonight we are lucky not to be bereaved, but all our thoughts go out to these families who carry this pain and with whom we stand in solidarity. »
Unknown motives
The tragedy sent shock waves across the country. The political class reacted, from the Prime Minister of Quebec, François Legault, to that of Canada, Justin Trudeau. On site, a vast security perimeter was established by the Laval police department for investigation purposes.
The motivations that led to the tragedy were not yet known at the end of the evening. According to our information, Mr. Ny St-Amand was on the STL schedule on Wednesday morning. His bus route passed near the daycare, and the roundabout where the Dufferin terrace culminates is a place where bus drivers are used to going to turn. To reach the daycare, however, he had to cross a long parking lot at the end of which was the establishment.
PHOTO MARTIN TREMBLAY, THE PRESS
Pierre Ny St-Amand drove his bus into the front of the daycare.
There was at least one camera in the bus which would have filmed the scene. The police have, according to our sources, obtained a warrant in order to be able to view this video.
Several hours after the tragedy, the police had still not found a link between the suspect and the daycare and did not understand what had prompted him to take action. The preferred hypothesis for the moment would be related to mental health.
stuffed animals and flowers
As the day progressed, passers-by, curious people and families gathered in the area in memory of the young victims. People hugged each other, talking to each other in low voices, despite the comings and goings of police and journalists.
Bouquets of flowers and soft toys began to accumulate on a police car, at the edge of the scene, beyond which the public was not admitted.
PHOTO CHRISTINNE MUSCHI, REUTERS
The stuffed animals piled up on a police car parked near the daycare.
“It’s a tragedy that affects everyone, especially when you have children,” explained Chantal Yergeau, accompanied by her daughter Katy Fernandez and her 5-year-old granddaughter Mila. The family had traveled from Montreal to offer their support and drop off stuffed animals and flowers on site. “This morning, when I learned that, it touched me, confused, I wanted to pick up my daughter at daycare,” said Ms.me Fernandez.
“We always think it happens far from home, but this is a neighborhood I know, I thought it was important to bring a little doggie, a flower,” also told Julie Fuoco, a former resident of the area. “If it had been a simple accident, it would be easier to accept,” she added.
Nine counts
Pierre Ny St-Amand, 51 and with no criminal history, was charged Wednesday with nine counts, including two counts of first-degree murder. He is also charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault and assault.
PHOTO FROM FACEBOOK
Pierre Ny St-Amand
After being arrested and questioned by investigators, Mr. Ny St-Amand appeared Wednesday afternoon by videoconference at the Laval courthouse. He was then hospitalized at the Sacré-Coeur-de-Montréal hospital.
On his hospital bed, Mr. Ny St-Amand seemed agitated. At the beginning of his appearance, a policeman who accompanied him even claimed that the accused had just hit him because he was “angry”.
PHOTO CHRISTINNE MUSCHI, REUTERS
The bus was towed late Wednesday evening.
Mr. Ny St-Amand was deemed fit to appear and will have to undergo a psychiatric evaluation to determine his level of dangerousness.
He will be back in court on February 17 and will be incarcerated during the legal process.
With information from Daniel Renaud, The Press