The Bureau of Independent Investigations (BEI) is looking into the first murder committed this year in Quebec. On Wednesday, Kim Lebel, “possibly in crisis”, allegedly killed a neighbor with a metal bar. Two days before, the Quebec police had yet assessed the accused at the request of his parents, without immediately intervening.
The tragedy, which occurred in Lac-Saint-Charles north of the national capital, shocked a peaceful neighborhood. A 65-year-old man, Jacques Côté, lost his life in the middle of the street. His body bore significant marks of violence when officers from the Quebec City Police Service (SPVQ) arrived on Wednesday.
It was not the first passage of the agents in this sector, this week. On Monday, the accused’s father, worried about his son’s “incoherent and disjointed remarks” for some time, allegedly requested the intervention of the SPVQ police officers.
They met Kim Lebel last Monday. During this interview, they would have assessed the latter and “considered that his behavior did not require immediate intervention”. The police, indicates the BEI, “would have referred his relatives to an aid organization”.
Two days after this meeting, the parents would have obtained a court order forcing their son to undergo a psychiatric evaluation. For a second time in 48 hours, they reportedly requested police assistance, this time to enforce the order.
However, the police did not have time to do so. Back on the scene of the events, the SPVQ no longer had an order to enforce, but a murder to elucidate. Kim Lebel, “who would have been in crisis, would have attacked citizens and a 65-year-old man lost his life during the attack”, continues the BEI in a press release issued on Friday.
Officers arrested the accused near the crime scene. He offered no resistance to his arrest and now faces a charge of second degree murder.
The BEI mandated four investigators to clarify the circumstances of the intervention that the police carried out with the accused. The Sûreté du Québec, for its part, took charge of the homicide investigation, in accordance with the Regulation respecting the conduct of investigations of the Bureau of Independent Investigations
The SPVQ, in a press release released on Friday, claims to have notified the BEI, as of April 7 in the morning, of the new elements presented by the family following the murder. “At that time, based on the information brought to its attention, the BEI took the decision not to take charge [sic] the investigation, “adds the press release from the Quebec police. The next day, the BEI changed its mind and announced the launch of an investigation to shed light on the police intervention carried out on Monday with the accused.
The BEI and the SPVQ do not comment further so as not to harm the ongoing legal processes.