Man punched in the face in downtown Montreal, in critical condition

A Montreal police (SPVM) car. (Daniel J. Rowe, CTV News)

A man is fighting for his life in hospital after an overnight altercation in the Ville-Marie borough of Montreal.

Emergency services received a 911 call around 1 a.m. Sunday, reporting that the 57-year-old man collapsed on the sidewalk, after being punched, on Crescent Street, near René-Lévesque Boulevard West.

“When police arrived on the scene, they found a man lying on the sidewalk. He was unconscious,” said Montreal police (SPVM) spokesperson Véronique Dubuc.

The man was taken to hospital in critical condition.

“According to initial information obtained from witnesses, the 57-year-old man had an argument with an acquaintance on the sidewalk. A third person interfered with the argument and struck the victim in the head,” said Dubuc.

The suspect fled before police arrived. He is still being sought.

A perimeter was set up to protect the scene, which was to be analyzed by SPVM investigators.

The investigation continues.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Sept. 15, 2024.