Tense atmosphere amid incidents

An attack outside Triple 7 this week that led to the arrest of two teenagers is only the latest in a succession of criminal incidents so far this year.

On January 15, a volley of gunfire was directed at Jackpot Casino at around 12:30 a.m., The Eastern Door has learned. There were no injuries – or suspects – in the incident at 1535A Ste. Philomene, according to Marc Tessier, spokesperson for the Surete du Quebec (SQ). Police suggested there is no investigation underway in the case.

“The business owner is refusing to press charges. Case closed,” Tessier said.

On January 29, a car was set ablaze on Ahsennenson, with the call coming in to emergency services around 5:30 p.m.

“As for the vehicle, the cause of the fire and the vehicle's ownership have not yet been determined. We are awaiting an expert report,” said Tessier.

According to Sylvain Johnson, Oka fire chief, the car had no license plate and was an arson fire that was referred to the SQ.

On Sunday, a garage on Normand Theoret’s lot was burned down in a suspected arson, with fire also set to a container, according to Johnson. There were no injuries in the incident. 

As previously reported by The Eastern Door, Theoret was shot on December 5 in his own home. The following week, on the morning of December 12, emergency services were called to the house after reports of a fire, which was treated as an attempted arson.

“We’re always in discussion with the SQ. Our team’s doing the best they can,” said MCK caretaker council member Brant Etienne, who led the justice and policing portfolio in the previous council. “I would say the biggest problem we’re facing is community members’ unwillingness to speak up. Some are the victims themselves.”

Etienne said the current political situation, which limits Council to an administrative body, doesn’t limit the caretaker council’s day-to-day efforts to coordinate on community safety, outside of something that would constitute a new major project, such as negotiation for a local police force.

He said the MCK has heard from multiple sources that people are feeling threatened in the community and that it is believed there is extortion at play, with businesses being approached to pay protection money.

“That seems to be putting a big damper on people willing to come out. It’s known. The authorities are aware of it as well," said Etienne.

He said it’s not the quantity of incidents so much as the response that is changing.

“I would say the amount of criminal activity, or what’s bubbling up, doesn’t seem that different,” he said. “That lack of community members coming forward and voicing it, that diminishment is noticeable. We don’t know if that’s an actual indication that people are being successfully intimidated by all of this stuff, or it’s a matter of just people are completely disheartened,” he said.

“The problem is the silence. Either people are too afraid to speak, choosing not to, or there is nobody to speak up. Which is it? I don’t know.”

Tessier highlighted the role cooperation plays in police investigation.

“I just want to point out that while incidents do occur, in some cases, people are uncooperative and unwilling to file a complaint,” said Tessier after summing up the information available on the above files.

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Marcus Bankuti, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter