A van driver killed at least two people and injured nine when he deliberately rammed pedestrians in a small town in Bas-Saint-Laurent on Monday afternoon. A new murderous frenzy a little over a month after that of a day care center in Laval.
• Also read: Drama in Amqui: Six victims were transferred to hospitals in Quebec
• Also read: “What I saw was horror”: In Amqui, a man narrowly escaped the driver
• Also read: Drama in Amqui: “It’s really horrible,” regrets Pascal Bérubé
The tragedy happened just after 3 p.m. on Saint-Benoît Boulevard West, also known as Route 132, in front of La Captive microbrewery in Amqui.
Screenshot, TVA Nouvelles
The La Captive microbrewery where the tragedy began. We notice a boot on the steps, but most notably a deformed stair railing and the other railing completely folded down, showing how far the mad driver went.
According to witnesses, the van drove almost 900 meters, rolling on both the sidewalk and the road, hitting several pedestrians along the way before coming to a stop.
Screenshot, TVA Nouvelles
Two vehicles from the Sûreté du Québec and one from the Department of Transportation ensure that nobody drives to the crime scene.
Several people watched helplessly as the drama unfolded. “What I saw was horror. I saw people get hit by the truck. I’m still shaking. I saw them rob the whole gang,” Ken Moreau said. Two men between the ages of 60 and 80 died and nine people were injured. At the time of going to press, the lives of three of the victims were still in danger.
Screenshot, TVA Nouvelles
CISSS du Bas-Saint-Laurent spokesman Gilles Turmel mentioned that six of the patients admitted to Amqui Hospital were airlifted to Quebec for treatment. Among them were at least two children.
suspect arrested
Authorities also confirmed the arrest of a 38-year-old man.
Photo taken from Facebook
According to our information, the driver of the van would be Steeve Gagnon, 38 and originally from Amqui.
According to our information, it would be Steeve Gagnon, a resident of Amqui who is known to have severe mental health issues. This would have shown signs of great delirium when he was hit by investigators from the SQ.
According to our sources, the man acted intentionally, but without thinking about his gesture. The person is expected to appear later today on murder and hit-and-run charges, police said. His motives were not known at the time of going to press.
This attack commemorates the tragedy that happened in Laval on February 8, when a driver intentionally drove into a day care center and killed two children, aged 4 and 5.
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Multiple reactions
The mayor of the 6,000-person community, Sylvie Blanchette, drove there immediately after the news to see the extent of the drama.
“Everything is triggered at Amqui Hospital to help these people. […] I want the people of Amqui, the people of Matapédia, to be reassured. We are here to support them. We are with them wholeheartedly,” she told TVA Nouvelles.
“It happens elsewhere. That never happens to you. […] There are no words to describe what happened,” she added.
The accident made politicians react quickly. “It’s horrible,” said Pascal Bérubé. In Amqui everyone knows everyone. We can never imagine that it could happen,” said the PQ MP for Matane-Matapédia.
“It’s a tragedy, there are no words. I know people who are there to help,” commented Kristina Michaud, MP for the Bloc Québécois.
Mr Bérubé also announced that he had canceled his attendance at the National Assembly today.
I take the direction of Amqui and cancel my presence at the tomorrow@Assnat. I am in touch with the minister @fbonnardelCAQ. The toll would be very high. Further information follows. I am concerned about what is being reported to me. https://t.co/Mpwx2K9Hnx
— Pascal Berube (@PascalBerube) March 13, 2023
“It’s a whole population that’s shaken. You see, it’s such a big impact that the phone company told us beforehand that the system had exploded. They were forced to add a signal,” he said.
The member of the Bloc Québécois for Avignon – La Mitis – Matane – Matapédia was also in shock. “It’s a tragedy, there are no words. There are people I know who came out to help,” Kristina Michaud.
Terrible drama in Amqui, my hometown. While we wait to hear more, I thank the police, emergency services, paramedics and health workers who are doing everything they can to help the injured. Psychosocial support is provided for witnesses. Don’t hesitate to ask for help.
— Kristina Michaud (@krimichaudbq) March 13, 2023
For her part, the Minister responsible for the region, Maïté Blanchette-Vézina, admitted to being upset by what was happening in Amqui.
“I am committed, together with my fellow ministers, to offering the necessary support to citizens and elected officials. It is an extremely difficult situation and only if we stick together will we overcome it,” said the CAQ deputy in Rimouski.
What a tragedy. My thoughts go out to the whole community of Amqui and La Matapédia. An unimaginable tragedy. I will go to the crime scene with my colleague François Bonnardel tomorrow morning
to meet the citizens concerned and to take stock with the local teams. https://t.co/Gy7ivda1sI— Maite Blanchette Vezina (@MaiteVezina) March 13, 2023
“It is shocking what happened in Amqui. All my thoughts are with the victims and their families. Thank you to the first responders on site,” added Prime Minister François Legault.
It’s shocking what happened in Amqui. All my thoughts are with the victims and their families. Many thanks to the first responders on site. @fbonnardelCAQ monitors the situation closely.
— Francois Legault (@francoislegault) March 13, 2023
“My heart goes out to the citizens of Amqui, Quebec. My thoughts to all those affected as we await more information on today’s tragic events. To first responders: Thank you for your promptness, courage and professionalism,” added Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
My heart goes out to the citizens of Amqui, Quebec. My thoughts to all those affected as we await more information on today’s tragic events. To the first responders: Thank you for your speed, courage and professionalism.
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) March 13, 2023
For his part, the Minister of Public Security, François Bonnardel, stressed that he was following the situation closely.
investigation is ongoing. Preliminary information reports a serious accident in Amqui. The teams are on the move and we are closely monitoring the situation. We are in contact with the MP @PascalBerube and our regional minister @MaiteVezina. https://t.co/KA2zlc1zAO
– Francois Bonnardel (@fbonnardelCAQ) March 13, 2023
– With Laurent Lavoie, Marianne Langlois and QMI Agency
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