“It will turn the region upside down”

The tragedy occurred around 8 p.m. in the O Mini Prix business, located on Route Bégin, in the Bellechasse region. The two victims, employees of this low-cost clothing store for workers, were alone on the scene. The business was open at the time of the tragedy, but was preparing to close.

“The preferred hypothesis is a theft that went wrong,” indicates Béatrice Dorsainville, spokesperson for the Sûreté du Québec (SQ).

An individual allegedly broke into the business with the aim of committing a robbery. He then allegedly fired shots before fleeing on foot.

A 32-year-old woman was pronounced dead at the scene. A 25-year-old woman suffered serious, non-life-threatening injuries. According to our information, she was shot in the head, but she was conscious when she was transported to hospital.

A suspect at large

As of Friday, the suspect is still actively being sought. In a press release, the municipality of Saint-Anselme announces that there will be an “increased police presence” over the coming days. “A command post is present near the scene and several police officers are patrolling the area.”

The SQ’s major crimes division is handling the investigation. Mental health, organized crime, money… all the hypotheses are on the table at the moment.

Technicians went to the scene on Friday to collect evidence. Several witnesses were also met by investigators.

Why this business?

Citizens consulted by The Sun Friday are all in shock.

“It’s worrying,” notes an employee of the gym located very close to the business. “I’m like, we were open last night. He could have come here instead.” The man wonders why the suspect didn’t target a place known for having a lot of money, like a bank.

At the next door, a mechanic is asking the same questions. “It sure hits home. It was a quiet world, without incident. It is difficult to explain why the thief would have stolen this business. There’s probably not a lot of money in the box. The majority of customers pay by card now,” he says.

The municipalities of Frampton and Saint-Malachie, located very close to Saint-Anselme, have recently been the scene of violent events linked to organized crime.

Faced with this increase in crime in their region, many citizens are changing their habits. “Nothing was happening here before. But there, we bar our doors, we are careful,” testifies an elder who has lived in Saint-Anselme for 76 years.

“It will turn the region upside down”

The mayor of Saint-Anselme, Yves Turgeon, made a point of visiting the site on Friday morning. “It’s terrible. It’s so free. These are people I know. Everyone is good at Saint-Anselme. But these people were perhaps better, so dedicated… and young,” he told the Soleil with emotion.

For a municipality of around 4,000 inhabitants like Saint-Anselme, such a tragedy has major repercussions. “Everyone knows each other here. If these are not family ties, they are friendship ties. It will turn the region upside down,” he laments.

On October 17, a large police operation was deployed for a barricaded man in crisis in Saint-Anselme. These two close events worry the traders and citizens met by The Sun.

The mayor notes an increase in mental health problems among his population. “It’s a phenomenon that has been affecting all municipalities for several years now. We see all kinds of them. This time, of course, it’s the summit. “It’s something that worries us a lot,” he said.

Even if the shooter is still at large, the mayor wants to be reassuring. “The situation, I believe it is under control. The Sûreté du Québec is there. We know a little about the motive, it was theft. I think he’s being hunted for now. He cannot be very active,” believes Yves Turgeon.