Armed with a kitchen knife, two men allegedly threatened their spouse in Sherbrooke

The day after Christmas, the Sherbrooke Police Service (SPS) intervened twice for domestic violence. In both cases, the men were armed with a kitchen knife.

On December 26, around 7:10 a.m., a woman fearing for her safety contacted the police because her partner, in crisis, allegedly uttered threats to her while brandishing a knife. He subsequently left the apartment, she explained. At the time of the call, her partner was walking shirtless on rue Lalemant, possibly still armed, the woman worried.

Arriving on scene, the patrol officers quickly saw the 21-year-old man. He had taken refuge in a building and had a kitchen knife in his hand. A few minutes of negotiations were enough for him to surrender to the agents.

According to the SPSthe man known to law enforcement should face charges of threats and assault in the context of domestic violence.

A second event

The second incident occurred in the evening, in an apartment on Bowen Street South. Around 10:10 p.m., a woman called the police because her 76-year-old husband allegedly threatened to beat her in the middle of a dispute. The woman, who was unable to take refuge elsewhere, was afraid of being beaten.

Once on scene, the officers led her outside, out of harm’s way, and attempted to reason with the man, who was in her living room with his hands behind his back, with what appeared to be later to be a kitchen knife.

He refused to collaborate with the patrol officers. It was after several minutes of negotiations that the man, who has no criminal history, surrendered to the police.explains Isabelle Gendron, public relations officer at SPS.

He should appear on charges of armed assault and uttering threats, according to the spokesperson.

“Not always festive in families”

According to the spokesperson, some women are more at risk of experiencing domestic violence during the Christmas period, since it is a context conducive to family arguments, sometimes fueled by alcohol.

The holiday season can be a time when people will consume more. It’s not always festive in families. This could lead to an increase in domestic violence calls.

More and more women are also calling the police, according to the spokesperson. We know that people will denounce more everything that involves domestic violence. There is a court that specializes in this. The victims perhaps feel a little more heard.

Isabelle Gendron has a message for the population: Don’t hesitate to contact us if people have any doubts. Often, it’s not just a family squabbleshe warns.

During the holiday season, the SPS does not take vacation: the teams are complete and sometimes even larger, like on December 26. On Thursday, agents were deployed at the Carrefour de l’Estrie to ensure the smooth running of post-Christmas shopping.