Man arrested in fatal Gatineau stabbing
Father says victim was defending his girlfriend when her ex showed up
Gatineau police have arrested a 22-year-old Pointe- Gatineau man in connection with the stabbing death of a 20-year-old construction worker Thursday afternoon. Gatineau police told a news conference Friday that David Emond was arrested without incident at his home at about 1 a.m. He has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of Johnny Normand, who was discovered by police severely wounded early Thursday at an apartment on St. Paul Street in the city’s east end. Normand later died in hospital. Normand’s father, David McComb was at the Gatineau courthouse waiting for the accused’s appearance. McComb said his son was staying at a girlfriend’s place when her ex showed up. “She was scared. My son got up to defend her,” McComb said. The two men got into a fight, McComb said. Normand used his mother’s last name. “(Normand) was going to be 21 in January. He’s a great kid.” The young man had been working in construction, he said. “He got his climbing licence to let him work on heights. “He always stuck up for people even as a kid in school. He went after the bullies.” McComb said he came to court because he wanted to look the accused in the eye. Emond appeared briefly in a Gatineau courtroom Friday afternoon. Dressed in a purple sweater and wearing handcuffs, he appeared frightened as he first looked around the room and then stood with his head bent forward as far as it would go, staring at the floor. He will make another court appearance next Thursday. In a release, Gatineau police said only that Emond allegedly committed the crime alone and said that he knew the victim. They said he was not previously known to police. An autopsy was to be performed in Montreal. McComb said his son died of a stab wound. Police said they would continue to scour the crime scene for evidence.