In a scene of rare violence, a 19-year-old man allegedly stabbed three members of his family to death in a duplex in the Rosemont district of Montreal on Friday. He was overpowered and arrested on the spot, shocking the neighborhood.
The first responders had to face a scene of great violence – according to our information – when they went around 9 a.m. Friday to this duplex on rue Bélanger, between rue Viau and 40e Avenue, in the east of Montreal.
On the spot, they found not only three bodies, but also a young suspect, covered in blood. Arthur Galarneau, 19, had to be subdued before being arrested by the authorities. Several patrol officers and employees of the 911 central were subsequently taken in charge for psychological support.
Still according to our information, the three victims were members of the same family, the father, mother and grandmother of Arthur Galarneau.
He had lived in the basement of this duplex for many years, Ludovic Lachapelle, one of his longtime friends, told La Presse. To his knowledge, Mr. Galarneau’s mother lived downstairs and his grandmother lived upstairs. The father normally resided elsewhere.
“Arthur is the last person I would have thought could have done that,” said Ludovic Lachapelle. He is so sweet, his parents were also so nice to him. He never gave me the impression that he could be violent. »
The two friends were very close in elementary school, but had lost contact in high school, explains Mr. Lachapelle. They had reconnected since last summer.
According to our sources, the young man was known and followed for problems of consumption and mental health. Ludovic Lachapelle also confirmed to La Presse that Mr. Galarneau had had therapeutic follow-up since childhood. He was an artist, gifted in drawing, and socially isolated, describes Mr. Lachapelle.
Five weeks ago, the suspect claimed on Instagram to have “completely changed [his] lifestyle”. “I quit weed. I’m going to do strength training with a trainer for six months. I speed skate now. Really, my life has changed. It’s switching right now, it’s really fun,” he said in a video.
But soon after, his publications had taken another tangent, underlines his friend. “He seemed more paranoid, he said that the government was watching him, that he saw bullshit on the networks and that it was difficult to discern the true from the false, illustrates Mr. Lachapelle. It’s as if he was warning us. »
“If I had known it could happen, I sure would have talked to him about it long before, I didn’t know it was so serious, his condition,” adds the young man, distraught.
Note that the duplex on rue Bélanger where the murders occurred, and where Arthur Galarneau would have lived most of his life, had just been put up for sale.
The sale sign had been placed in front of the building last Friday, a neighbor told La Presse.
Arthur Galarneau had to be subdued during his arrest at the scene, in particular with pepper spray.
In a video circulating extensively on social networks, we can see the suspect handcuffed to the ground, while several officers enter the accommodation and come out at a run. “There’s a lot of blood everywhere,” the woman said in shock, filming the scene from a vehicle.
Officially, the police are not yet talking about a triple murder, even if it looks like it. The death of the victims was allegedly caused by a “sharp object”, however confirmed Friday Julien Lévesque, media relations officer for the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM).
The investigation was transferred to the Major Crimes Section of the SPVM. Late Friday evening, a large security perimeter was still in place on rue Bélanger, in front of the Montreal Heart Institute.
Several citizens crowded around the security perimeter early in the day.
“We’re in a peaceful neighborhood here. It gets worrying. It’s people who have the lowest morale. It would take more follow-up,” said Richard Frigon, who has lived in the area for several years. Behind him, a worker who was making a delivery very close to the scene when the tragedy occurred was still trying to find his words. “I’m really in shock. In addition, a family…”, he dropped, visibly very affected.
“It’s appalling. Every person experiences difficulties in 2023. Life is not rosy for anyone. But not everyone is able to come to their senses,” said Diane Émond, also a neighborhood resident, who was in shock. “It’s not ticket fonts we want, not cameras, it’s deeds,” implored Martin, another area resident who had come to the scene.
“I’m still scared. I have never seen or heard anything like it. This morning I heard the sirens, but that’s it, “said Emilio Caceres Carmona, who lives a few steps from the residence where the tragedy occurred.
“After Amqui this week […] let’s say that times are tough on feelings. I have many thoughts for the neighbors. Here, it’s a relatively quiet neighborhood, a place where it’s generally good to live, ”commented the deputy for Rosemont, Vincent Marissal, met on the spot.
