Quebec police officers are reportedly on the verge of arresting suspects in connection with the murder of young Daphnée Jolivet, killed in the Maizerets district at the end of October.
In an interview with Radio-Canada, the director of the Quebec City Police Service (SPVQ), Denis Turcotte, wanted to be reassuring: the police are very active in the case of this still unsolved murder.
J' anticipates that in the coming days, the coming weeks, we should make [one or more] arrest[s].
A quote from Denis Turcotte, director of the Quebec City Police Department
Daphnée Jolivet, 19, was killed at her home on October 25 . A teenager was also seriously injured during the attack. A 16-year-old suspect was arrested that evening, but no one is currently facing murder charges.
Open in full screen mode
Daphnée Jolivet's profile photo in 2019
This crime has caused concern in the Maizerets district. In the hours following the murder, sources told Radio-Canada that the police were following a lead suggesting that the crime was linked to members of a street gang. The police chief did not wish to comment on this hypothesis.
It's very, very, very risky to mention that today' x27;today, he said.
A few weeks before the end of the year, the director of the SPVQ is already drawing up a heavy assessment of violent crime in Quebec. So far, six murders have occurred. This is the highest number since 2017, a year marked by the attack on the Grand Mosque of Quebec which left six victims.
This year, Quebec police officers also note an increase in the number of events involving firearms.
We saw this coming, notes Denis Turcotte , which specifies that the weapons circulating in Quebec tend to come from Western Canada.
Open in full screen mode
The director of the Quebec City Police Department, Denis Turcotte, notices an increase in the number of events involving firearms fire.
Some individuals arrested with a weapon in their possession are known to the police, others are not. For example, a 21-year-old man was arrested Sunday in possession of a loaded 9-millimeter pistol as well as a high-capacity magazine with several bullets. The suspect, Eliot Abikunda, was formally charged with illegally possessing a restricted weapon. The young man has no criminal record.
Denis Turcotte explains that tensions between criminal groups, who are competing for control of the drug market, are at the origin of the increase in the circulation of weapons. Some small organizations could also carry out violent acts independently.
There may also be people who place orders with smaller ones so as not to make money, illustrates the director. We shouldn't lump all this together, it's really case by case.
Quebec police director Denis Turcotte is in an interview with “Téléjournal” host Bruno Savard.
For retired professor and former police officer Alain Gelly, the circulation of weapons has a direct link with the emergence of street gangs. In his opinion, Quebec is not immune to this phenomenon, well known in Montreal and Toronto.
These people, by appropriating firearms, show their capacity and their power to convince others who might want to stand up to them, he said. It's also a form of message that they send to others by saying: "I'm armed, you need to take me seriously."
Open in full screen mode
Alain Gelly, professor of police techniques at the Notre-Dame-de-Foy Campus and former sergeant in the community relations section
For these small emerging groups that compete with more structured criminal networks, having weapons shows the seriousness of their operations.
It shows a capacity for structure and of strength compared to others, adds Alain Gelly.
Only one of the six murders this year, that of Keven Plante-Ménard, is linked to gun violence. The young man was shot and killed in his apartment in the Limoilou district in August. This case also remains unresolved. Denis Turcotte wanted to reassure the population by repeating that the investigations are progressing smoothly.
You are safe in Quebec.
A quote from Denis Turcotte, director of the Quebec City Police Department
Faced with the increase in the number of crimes, Denis Turcotte does not hide the fact that his investigators are overwhelmed. They sometimes have to prioritize certain files. The director quietly indicates that this could cause delays.
As a responsible employer, I cannot make them work 24 hours online, explains- he. They are so dedicated that they want to see results in their investigation. It's us who have to slow them down.
Without saying that I lack resources, I see it coming. It's going to take resources.
A quote from Denis Turcotte, director of the Quebec City Police Department
The chief police has also asked the Ministry of Public Security for additional resources to combat armed violence in the Quebec region, like the greater Montreal region.
Teilor Stone has been a reporter on the news desk since 2013. Before that she wrote about young adolescence and family dynamics for Styles and was the legal affairs correspondent for the Metro desk. Before joining Thesaxon , Teilor Stone worked as a staff writer at the Village Voice and a freelancer for Newsday, The Wall Street Journal, GQ and Mirabella. To get in touch, contact me through my teilor@nizhtimes.com 1-800-268-7116
