Terrible fire in Old Montreal: Four of eight investigators quit due to difficult working conditions

Half of the investigators on the team responsible for finding the man who started the arson attack in Old Montreal have asked to be assigned to other investigations because of internal conflicts surrounding the handling of the case.

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Our Bureau of Investigation learned that four of the eight investigators could not withstand the tough climate inside the main team investigating the worst fire in the metropolis in almost 50 years.

The team is working on possible murder charges. Other groups of police officers have also been mobilized, particularly from the angle of criminal negligence.

Two investigators left in the weeks following the March 16 tragedy.

Two others left the ship in mid-October, sources familiar with the matter said. Everything has been changed.

“It was a toxic work environment that led four investigators to switch teams,” said one of our sources, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

“Things went so badly that they asked to switch teams,” says another informant.

Surveillance camera

One of those asked to switch teams had fifteen years of experience in major crimes, including nearly 10 years in murder.

According to our information, it is very rare for a police team to be so empty in the middle of a major investigation.

Yesterday, in response to our questions, the Montreal Police Service (SPVM) noted that it “does not confirm or deny such movements within its organization.”

Our sources indicate that one of the elements at the center of the conflict is the management of the video captured by the surveillance camera on the evening of the tragedy. We see a suspect leaving the building on Place d’Youville minutes after the fire started.

Within the SPVM, some wanted to quickly arrest him for trial, while others wanted to use various investigative techniques before interrogating him.

Sunday, guest on the show Everyone is talking about it On Radio-Canada, the SPVM’s director, Fady Dagher, suggested the investigation was going well. “In this case, I see no, no fault. […] “Those on file have a lot of experience,” he said.

Restart the investigation

Mr. Tagore replied A report was released last weekWe have revealed that the investigation is being stymied by some choices of police officers.

Fady Dagger

Photo archive, Jonathan Tremblay

We specifically wrote that one suspect was arrested and later released without charge. The police officer who arrested him did not have an arrest or entry warrant. The police also seized and searched the cell phone without a search warrant.

We also learned that investigators looked specifically at judicial decisions from Western Canada to reopen the case.

Last week, Montreal’s mayor, Valérie Plante, assured the police that she had “full confidence” in the matter.

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