LONGUEUIL — Residents of an apartment building on De Rousillon Street in Longueuil told Global News that they can’t get the horrible sounds out of their heads.
On Sunday evening around 7 p.m., a woman in a first floor unit was heard crying for help.
Police said the 46-year-old victim was possibly threatened with a gun by her former husband, and then left her tied up in her apartment.
“It’s only the investigation that will tell us why he was in that mental state,” said Longueuil Police spokesperson Constable Ghyslain Vallieres.
After the alleged attack, police said the armed 49-year-old suspect fled the scene, and threatened to jump off the Jacques-Cartier Bridge.
The bridge was closed to traffic for about an hour during the delicate police operation.
The man eventually gave up and was arrested.
“He faces forcible confinement charges and other serious criminal counts,” Vallieres told Global News.
Many residents said they knew about the violence in the couple’s relationship, but they admitted they ignored what they saw.
“I know she came up crying a lot to my house, she came crying,” the victim’s friend, Margaret Martin, said.
“She wanted me to call the cops, but you don’t want to get involved.”
Groups that support women in abusive relationships said this case puts the spotlight on a major issue: witnesses of abuse should speak out.
“I think people hestitate because they don’t want their names out there,” said June Michel, a spokesperson with Women Aware.
“You can request that your name remain anonymous in the records of the report.”
The victim in this case is being treated for shock and is expected to make a full recovery.
Comments