Four Montrealers who fired nearly 80 shots in less than 24 hours at randomly selected passers-by committed an act “tantamount to a terrorist act,” the judge ruled as he sent them on their way to the penitentiary.
Judge Marc David highlighted the “exceptional” nature of the violent crimes committed by the accused in August 2022, in the Rivière-des-Prairies district.
“The nature of the offences is beyond belief, beyond comprehension,” the judge insisted, shocked by the “gratuitous violence” to which three innocent people were exposed, 24 hours apart, on 10 and 11 August 2022. It is practically a miracle that they escaped alive, despite injuries.
Dardy Lavaud, who was just 18 years old at the time of the events, was sentenced to 9 years and 4 months. Robby Valère, who was 23, will spend 6 years and 10 months in the shadows. Emmanuel Bruno will serve 5 years and 11 months. He was 21 at the time of the events, as was Josué Agnant who was sentenced to 9 years and 5 months. These sentences were determined by subtracting the days spent in preventive detention.
Photo Agence QMI, Maxime Deland
Gratuitous violence
Detained since their arrest, the four young men all pleaded guilty on Tuesday to a host of charges, including possession of prohibited firearms and discharging these weapons with the intent to endanger the lives of the victims for the second incident.
Dardy Lavaud, who was just 18 years old at the time of the events, is the only one to have also pleaded guilty to having, the day before, shot gratuitously at a motorist, while he himself was at the wheel of a vehicle.
The victim, whose identity is being protected by the court, testified Tuesday that she lived with a “constant feeling of fear” and that she had “lost her ability to appreciate life” since the tragedy.
Prohibited weapons
Photo courtesy
As for the shooting on August 11, which caused two direct casualties, the four young men shot passers-by with Glock pistols equipped with high-capacity magazines. They wanted to “test the weapons,” according to our information.
They then fled in a vehicle which they lost control of.
Photo d’archives
One of the survivors spoke at the hearing and said she felt “like I was no longer living, but surviving.”
“All I wanted was to eat a submarine, but I almost lost my life,” said the woman who has since suffered from constant pain, flashbacks and anxiety. She emphasizes that she is no longer able to work and has lost her taste for life.
“She gave a very touching testimony which will eventually allow her to move forward in her healing,” stressed Me Alexandra Longueville, who defended one of the accused with Me Vicky Powell.
According to our information, three of the accused have links with street gangs.
– With Michael Nguyen
