Montreal police are investigating a triple homicide after three people were fatally stabbed in an alley of the city’s Plateau-Mont-Royal borough.
Police were called at around 7 p.m. Tuesday to respond to a brawl in the alley between St. André and Mentana streets, near La Fontaine Park.
Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) spokesperson Jean-Pierre Brabant said Wednesday that when police arrived on the scene, they found three people — aged 15, 23 and 25 — in critical condition with serious wounds. They were rushed to hospital, where they were pronounced dead.
All three men appear to have been stabbed, said Brabant.
He said the investigation has been transferred to the major crimes unit. A command post was set up near the crime scene to facilitate the investigation. The city’s police chief was on the scene to support investigators overnight.
Brabant said police have not arrested anyone yet. Investigators were on the scene Wednesday morning, looking for evidence and a motive for the crime.
A chance event
The head of the SPVM’s major crime division Cmdr. Jean-Sébastien Caron, said at a news conference Wednesday that the brawl involving about 15 people was a “chance event,” unrelated to gangs or turf wars.
“It was a fight that degenerated which, unfortunately, led to the death of three people,” Caron said.
After confirming that the deceased knew each other, he said police have identified a couple of suspects but have not arrested anyone yet.
“We are still watching surveillance camera footage, meeting witnesses, and gathering evidence,” he said.
There have been five homicides on the island of Montreal in just four days. However, Carron insists that the city is “extremely safe.”
In Quebec City, Public Security Minister François Bonnardel told reporters earlier Wednesday morning that Montreal was having “a difficult week,” but that he is confident that the Montreal police can ensure the population’s safety.
“The amounts that we have invested in recent years are significant,” he said.