Montreal police arrested a 19-year-old suspect Friday after three people were stabbed to death in Montreal’s Rosemont neighbourhood.
The suspect has been identified as Arthur Galarneau, 19, according to Noovo Info sources.
Galarneau is said to have a history of mental health issues and has been hospitalized for them, according to the sources.
The victims and suspect are related.
SPVM spokesperson Julien Levesque said police received a 911 call at 9:20 a.m. reporting a person “in need” in a building on Belanger Street near Viau Boulevard.
“When police officers arrived on site they located three victims,” he said, adding that the bodies had “marks of violence” caused by a sharp object.
He said investigators will speak to the suspect later on.
A video of the forceful arrest, captured by witness Melanie Jourdain, shows police officers wrestling the suspect to the ground, barefoot and bloodied, outside the duplex currently for sale.
Police have not confirmed details about the age and sex of the victims. Neighbours are currently being interviewed.
Employees and patients who had to go to the Montreal Heart Institute, located across the street from the crime scene, were asked to go to the facility through an access other than the main entrance.
Montreal police attend the scene of a triple stabbing, in Montreal, Friday, March 17, 2023. Montreal police say a suspect is under arrest after three people were found stabbed to death inside an east-end Montreal apartment. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
RESIDENTS WORRIED
Local resident Collette Bouchut said the neighbourhood has changed in recent years.
“It used to be very quiet, but now it seems like every week there’s something going on,” she said. “You start to wonder. I used to walk around a lot, but now, you always wonder what’s going to happen.”
Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante tweeted her thoughts for those affected by the killings.
“My condolences to their loved ones,” she posted on Twitter.
J’ai une pensée pour les trois personnes qui sont mortes dans des circonstances horribles dans Rosemont. Mes condoléances à leurs proches. 💔
‘FRIGHTENING LEVEL OF VIOLENCE’: MNA MARISSAL
In a press conference in his riding of L’Assomption, Premier François Legault said that the situation was “truly troubling.”
Asked about the accumulation of fatal incidents in recent weeks, Legault did not want to comment on the specific case in the Rosemont district, but he stressed that everywhere in the world there were problems related to mental health.
“There is a recruitment challenge, whether it’s social workers or psychologists, we have to take the time to train them. There are positions currently advertised, but not filled,” he said.
Legault reiterated his commitment to increase spending for mental health in next week’s budget.
The MNA for Rosemont, Vincent Marissal, visited the scene of the tragedy on Friday.
“Yes, there is violence, yes, there is a lot of distress,” he said of the neighbourhood. “A rather frightening level of violence, I must say. We won’t bury our heads in the sand. There have been several incidents recently.”
The MNA said his thoughts were with the victims and their families.
Two representatives of crime victims’ aid group CAVAC were on site at the end to meet with the neighbours and offer psychological support and assistance to those who feel the need.
A large perimeter is in place in the area.
With files from The Canadian Press
