(Amqui) The deadly attack on Monday in Amqui left two children seriously injured, police confirmed Tuesday morning, who do not fear for their lives.

A child under the age of one and another almost three years old are among the 10 pedestrians struck in the small municipality of Bas-Saint-Laurent. They were transferred to the hospital.

“We do not fear for the lives of children,” reassured Claude Doiron, spokesperson for the Sûreté du Québec (SQ), during a press briefing in Amqui on Tuesday morning.

“There are still talks of two deaths and three people struggling for life in hospitals outside the region, and six other people who have suffered injuries at various levels. »

The police have also confirmed the identity of the two victims of the attack. They are Gérald Charest, 65, and Jean Lafrenière, 73, both from Amqui.

The Amquien Daniel Thériault knew the two victims. They were two “very gentle” men, in good physical shape, great walkers. Both were retired.

“Mr. Charest worked for a landscaping company in Amqui. I still see him working with a smile and waving his hand at us, he recalled with tremolos in his voice. He was a lively man, of great physical strength. He had just retired. »

According to him, among the dozen pedestrians caught up were grandparents who were walking with their grandchildren.

The driver of the van surrendered to the authorities immediately after the tragedy. Steeve Gagnon, 38, is due to appear around 3 p.m. at the Amqui courthouse. The police arrested him for fatal hit-and-run and murder.

“What the investigation shows is that the actions were premeditated and that people were randomly targeted. They were pedestrians walking on the side of the 132 on both sides of the road, for some distance, “says Sergeant Doiron.

Passing through Amqui, the Minister of Public Security offered his sympathies to the bereaved relatives. “We may never prevent the madness,” dropped François Bonnardel.

Steve Gagnon collaborates with the police and answers their questions. At this time, police do not know the motive for the crime. “We are not talking about a terrorist act. The individual acted alone. It is an unfortunate and isolated act,” notes Sergeant Doiron.

Tuesday morning, the crime scene looked desolate. Shoes were strewn on the ground near a twisted stroller.

“The only ones who weren’t screaming were the victims,” ​​recalls David Morin, who witnessed the sordid scene in the moments after the collisions.

According to him, the victims were strewn on the ground for more than 100 meters. “The guy, he kept going!” And there are some who have avoided it, the truck. »

Bloc Québécois MP Kristina Michaud spent the morning on the scene of the drama. “I have close friends who are grieving right now,” said the local MP, who grew up in Amqui.

“The first reaction was shock. We are a small community of 6,000 people and usually there are no dramas like that,” she said.

“We think it happens elsewhere. Here in Amqui, when we hear sirens, we stick our noses to the window because we think we must know that person, ”notes the MP. “The whole community would like it to be a nightmare. »