BEI investigates after death of 15-year-old in Longueuil, amid police intervention

The Bureau des enquêtes indépendantes (BEI) – Quebec’s police watchdog – has launched an investigation into an intervention on Sunday in Longueuil that resulted in one death.

On Monday afternoon, at the corner of Joseph-Daignault and Monaco streets in a residential neighbourhood of Longueuil’s Saint-Hubert district, about 15 teenagers, students at André-Laurendeau High School, gathered at the spot where one of their friends lost his life on Sunday.

“But why did they shoot this 15-year-old boy, why did they fire two bullets?” asks Moustapha Tamani, the father of a girl who was friends with the victim.

“He was a good boy, a boy who was trying to find himself, who wanted to grow up, a happy boy,” adds Tamani, who accompanies the group of young people gathered at the scene of the tragedy, where drops of blood are still visible on the sidewalk.

According to preliminary information from the BEI, released Monday morning, officers from the Longueuil Police Department (SPAL) responded shortly before 3 p.m. on Sunday after being informed about a group of armed individuals who were moving around in a public place.

Police have not confirmed the age and identity of the victim.

However, the Marie-Victorin School Service Center confirmed the death of one of its students on Sunday.

Two people who live in the neighbourhood and prefer to remain anonymous told The Canadian Press that on Sunday afternoon, dozens of teenagers dressed in black and wearing masks marched through the neighbourhood.

When asked what they were doing in the neighbourhood, the young people reportedly replied that they were preparing to shoot a video in the nearby woods.

One of the people interviewed by the news agency explained that, a few minutes after this interaction, shots were fired and she saw a bloodied teenager lying in the street.

The 911 call was made at 2:48 p.m., and police officers reportedly arrived on the scene at around 2:58 p.m. At that point, the officers reportedly made contact with members of the group.

One person was then reportedly shot by police. First aid was reportedly administered by police officers until the arrival of paramedics, according to the BEI.

The person was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Five BEI investigators have been assigned to the case and are being assisted by Montreal Police (SPVM).

The BEI launches investigations “in all cases where a person other than a police officer on duty dies, suffers a serious injury, or is injured by a firearm used by a police officer during a police intervention or while in police custody.”

The BEI is set to hold a press conference on Tuesday morning to shed light on the event.

–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews