MONTREAL -- Sun Youth Organzation is offering a reward of up to $10,000 to anyone who can help lead to the arrest of suspects linked to three events in Montreal's Old Port over the summer.
One of the events in question occurred on July 8, when three women were approached by strangers at night on de la Commune St. One of the suspects took out a machete and pointed it at the women before fleeing the scene, the police said in a press release on Thursday.
Then, on July 13, a man was surrounded by a group of people who tried to steal his bag on the same street near Place Jacques-Cartier. The victim grabbed hold of one of the suspects after another fled with his bag. He was then stabbed.
On Sept. 19, two men driving around Place d'Youville near Saint-Nicolas St. saw a woman who was seemingly intoxicated on the ground with two men trying to pick her up. They offered their help, at which point one of the two men pulled out a gun and pointed it in their direction.
The Montreal police (SPVM) are setting up a command post in the Old Port to collect information from nearby citizens. They'll also be going door to door to do so. The command post will be stationed on de la Commune St. near Place Jacques-Cartier on Sept. 24 from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.
The effort is part of the city's plan to make Montreal neighbourhoods more safe following a string of violent events in different areas -- and the reward is possible because of an anonymous donor.
Anyone who witnessed the above events or who has relevant information about them -- or other events -- is being asked to meet with officers. Citizens can also contact the lead investigator on the file, detective Frantz Jean-Louis at 514-280-3756 -- or they can call 911 or their local station.
