A Quebec provincial police officer was killed while trying to arrest a man at a home in the province’s Mauricie region Monday night.
The police force confirmed in a news release Tuesday the death of Sgt. Maureen Breau, an officer with more than 20 years of experience.
The 35-year-old male suspect was later shot and killed by other officers who arrived on the scene in Louiseville, Que., about 100 kilometres northeast of Montreal.
Johanne Beausoleil, the provincial police chief, offered her condolences to Breau’s husband, children, other family members and colleagues.
“It is with immense sadness that I learned of Sgt. Breau’s death,” Beausoleil said in the news release. “An ordeal like this reminds us of the danger police officers face in extreme situations like those confronted by Sgt. Breau, her fellow officers and the emergency telecommunications operators who supported them during the intervention.”
Quebec’s police watchdog, which is investigating, says Breau and another officer were arresting the man at about 8:30 p.m. for uttering threats when he grabbed a knife and stabbed Breau.
The watchdog, the Bureau des enquêtes indépendantes, says another pair of officers arrived shortly afterwards, and one of them fatally shot the suspect. It says it has assigned five investigators to the case, and they will be aided by Montreal police officers.
Provincial police say another officer was injured during the intervention, but was expected to recover.
