An investigator from the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) was violently attacked by a suspect on Wednesday, in front of the home of a victim. It was agent Sanjay Vig, himself attacked last year, who showed up first to help his colleague.
Updated yesterday at 4:32 p.m.
The West Criminal Investigations Detective Sergeant went alone to a LaSalle apartment in Montreal to deliver a subpoena to a victim.
He instead found himself in front of the suspect. The man in his early twenties would have replied that the woman was not there.
The alleged attacker is a member of the victim’s family, our sources confirm. He allegedly hit the policeman in the head as the latter walked towards his vehicle.
Injured in one eye and suffering from a concussion, the detective sergeant in question was found on the ground at the intersection of St. Patrick and Stirling streets. He was confused during his transport to the hospital.
“As his attacker fled, he managed to get to his vehicle to reach his supervisor, who contacted 911. His injuries are not life-threatening and he was discharged from hospital early. of the night”, specified the media relations of the SPVM.
It was Sanjay Vig who went to the scene shortly after the call. The agent had himself been attacked and disarmed last year in the Parc-Extension sector, a case that caused a stir.
Following this attack, Mamadi III Fara Camara was arrested by mistake, then released in the middle of the courtroom six days later. Ali Ngarukiye, the man accused of assaulting Constable Vig, was later arrested.
The suspect needs to be located and there are still no arrests in this case.
“The investigation is ongoing and it is too early to comment on the causes of the assault,” confirmed the SPVM.
More frequent attacks, denounces the Brotherhood
The assault was strongly denounced by Yves Francœur, president of the Brotherhood of Policemen and Policewomen of Montreal. “Attacks on our peace officers are becoming more frequent and our work more and more unpredictable. »
He said he was aware of the concern caused by such an attack in the vicinity, with a suspect still at large.
“An individual who attacks a representative of the judicial system will have no embarrassment in attacking others. We know that every effort is being made to locate this individual. »
Should the police officer have been accompanied to deliver a subpoena? “It depends on the circumstances. It is generally left to the judgment of the police officers themselves, ”replied Mr. Francœur.
The union asked the SPVM to send occupational health and safety representatives to issue recommendations.
“It happens that police officers travel alone for the delivery of a summons to witness”, replied by email the media relations of the police force.
With Daniel Renaud