A young Montrealer who shot at passers-by in the city center after receiving a comment on his male bag will have to serve five years in prison, a judge ordered, denouncing the proliferation of firearms in the metropolis.
“Firearms in Montreal are currently a scourge, the public is very lucky that there were no injuries, it’s really fortunate,” commented Judge Silvie Kovacevich this Thursday at the courthouse. from Montreal.
Standing in the dock, Thomas Makdessi, 25, remained silent while listening to the magistrate’s comments about his crime committed in the summer of 2021. That day, the young man was walking on rue Sainte- Catherine when a group of individuals made a remark to her concerning her Gucci brand bag, according to what was said at the investigation upon release, but which is refuted by the accused.
Thomas Makdessi is guilty of discharging a firearm in downtown Montreal after being passed a comment on his men’s Gucci bag by a group of individuals. COURTESY
Courtesy
However, just afterwards, a conflict broke out and Makdessi suggested that the individuals go to an alley. That’s when he pulled out his gun to fire one shot, hitting no one.
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“A bullet hole is located in the front headlight […] of a parked Hyundai vehicle,” states the summary of the facts of the case.
Photo filed as evidence in the case of Thomas Makdessi, guilty of discharging a firearm in downtown Montreal after being passed a comment on his Gucci men’s bag by a group of individuals. The bullet did not hit anyone, but instead hit a car parked on the street, seen in this photo. COURTESY
Courtesy
Found thanks to surveillance videos
Makdessi fled, but given the number of surveillance cameras in the area, the police had no trouble finding him. A search of his home found a box of ammunition, a Louis Vuitton handbag as well as various bank and identity cards.
And faced with overwhelming evidence, rather than going to trial, the young man finally pleaded guilty to pointing and discharging a firearm and possessing forged documents, among other things.
At the suggestion of Me Geneviève Boutet, of the Crown, and of Me Stéphanie Basso, of the defense, the judge finally sentenced him to five years of incarceration this Thursday. Except that by calculating the preventive detention, he has less than two years to serve.
However, he will have to submit to 10 months’ probation once he is released from prison. He will also have to provide a sample of his DNA to authorities, in addition to refraining from possessing firearms.