Woman badly hurt in apparent holdup
Police looking for shooter after botched robbery attempt in Montreal’s east end
Police are searching for a male suspect in his 40s after the owner of a dépanneur was shot Tuesday afternoon during a botched robbery attempt at an indoor mall in the east end of Montreal.
Police said the 41-year-old woman was struck by a bullet in the jaw area after she refused to hand over money to the suspect at the Tabagie Frontenac on Ontario St. E.
She was transported to a hospital and is in stable condition, police spokesperson Benoit Boiselle said.
“When she left here she was conscious,” Boiselle said. “She was speaking.” He said the victim “got hit near her face, near the jaw.”
The suspect fled on foot and police believe he may have boarded the subway at the nearby Frontenac métro station.
Police sniffer dogs were being used at the métro as police were looking for any clue the shooter may have left behind.
Police had not yet recovered a weapon, believed to be a handgun, Boiselle said.
Another employee and several customers were in the store when the woman was shot.
Police said the witnesses may be able to help identify the suspect.
“Lots of citizens are helping us in this situation because they took pictures and videos of the suspect.”
Police also released a photograph of the suspect, courtesy of the Société de transport de Montréal (STM) surveillance cameras, as he was passing through the métro turnstiles.
Sylvie Frenette, who works at a hair salon in the Place Frontenac mall, said she saw the suspect run past her business on Ontario St.
Frenette was sitting near the cash register when she heard a gunshot around 12:30 p.m.
“People were panicking and running in and out wondering what happened,” she said. “It was a holdup.”
Rakesh Chandrekant, who owns a discount shop in the mall, said petty crime is a problem at Place Frontenac. He uses a surveillance system with 13 cameras in his small store.
“There is always something happening, even in our shop,” said Chandrekant, who often catches shoplifters.
“I was surprised today because it’s the first time there’s been a shooting. One time there was a holdup in the pharmacy but that’s all.”
Roger McDonald, who lives in the apartment complex above the mall, said he was shocked to hear of the shooting.
“It’s very sad what happened,” said 88-year-old McDonald, who has lived at the complex for 16 years. “It’s the first time something like this has happened to my knowledge,”
Police are also investigating a second shooting that occurred Monday night outside a dépanneur on Ste-Catherine St. about two kilometres away.
A 45-year-old man was taken to hospital after being shot around 10:50 p.m. Police said the man may have been shot during an attempted robbery.
The man’s assailant is believed to have fled in a grey car.
Boiselle said police do not know whether the two shootings are linked.