Shootout suspect’s condition still critical
Woman who was in vehicle arrested, released as investigation continues
A 26-year-old man involved in a shootout with police Tuesday remains in critical condition and will not be questioned by investigators until his health improves, Montreal police said.
Christopher Perez was seriously injured during a gunfight with Sûreté du Québec officers in the parking lot of the SQ detachment in Vaudreuil-Dorion.
Police said Perez stole a silver BMW in Toronto on Tuesday and then headed to Montreal. After crossing into Quebec, he was caught speeding by SQ officers who gave chase after Perez refused to pull over.
Perez eventually took an exit off Highway 20 and drove into the parking lot of the SQ station on Harwood Blvd.
“He may not have known where he was going,” said Montreal police Constable Jean-Pierre Brabant.
Witnesses said Perez came out of the vehicle and a shootout with police ensued. Several officers were involved and many shots were fired.
Perez was transported to a hospital by Urgences Santé. A woman who was in the vehicle with him was arrested but was released on Wednesday while police continue to investigate, Brabant said.
Montreal police are investigating the criminal aspects of the incident, including the theft of the car and the attempted murder of police officers.
Quebec’s Bureau des enquêtes indépendantes, the new provincial agency that probes police shootings in the province, is investigating the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
The agency assigned eight investigators to the case on Tuesday. The bureau’s guidelines say that police who witnessed the shooting are required to be questioned by investigators within 24 hours of them arriving at the scene.
Police officers involved in the shooting must be questioned within 48 hours of the incident unless the bureau’s director grants an extension, said Martin Bonin-Charron, a communications officer with the bureau.
The director of the police force involved in the shooting must take “reasonable measures” to keep the officers and witnesses from communicating with each other before they have spoken to investigators, Bonin-Charron said.
The Vaudreuil-Dorion shooting is the agency’s third case since it began operating in June.
The BEI is meant to restore the public’s faith in cases where a person is killed or seriously injured by police. Before the agency began operating, the actions of officers involved in shootings were investigated by an outside police force, leading to charges that they were not impartial.
Out of nearly 500 of these investigations since 1999, charges were brought against officers only six times.
He may not have known where he was going. MONTREAL POLICE CONSTABLE JEANPIERRE BRABANT
Here are some details about the new agency:
The Bureau has 18 investigators, 11 of whom are former police officers, including the two supervising investigators. Another three of the investigators have held civilian posts in police forces.
It investigates cases where a person dies or is seriously injured during a police intervention or while being detained by a police force. It is overseen by Madeleine Giauque, a former Crown prosecutor.
It reports to Quebec’s Public Security Department, but says it will maintain an arm’s length relationship with the government and will not be controlled by the government or by any police force.
It only looks into incidents when Quebec’s public security minister orders an investigation. It can’t launch its own investigations or investigate at the request of a third party.
Its role is to shed light on events, not to file charges against anyone. Once the investigation is completed, a report will be sent to prosecutors who decide how to proceed.