Vigil held for Quebec City victim of Halloween sword attack

A vigil was held Tuesday night to honour one of two people killed in a stabbing rampage that happened Halloween night in Quebec City.

François Duchesne, 56, was the director of communications and marketing at the Quebec national fine arts museum, the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec, where the vigil took place.

Friends and co-workers described him as enthusiastic and approachable.

“He was coming (up) with new ideas to link with the city, to link with citizens. He was very close to people. He would come meet visitors in the restaurant and in the boutique. He was very hands-on — a very accessible, generous person,” said Annie Gauthier, the museum’s director of collections and expositions.

Duchesne lived in the old Quebec neighbourhood, where the attack happened. One of his in-laws explained how much he loved it.

“François loved Quebec City,” said his brother-in-law, Denis Blouin.

“He loved to walk around the Chateau Frontenac. He (loved to) take pictures,” he said. “He was at the wrong place, just for a split second. Once you know the story, it’s really hard to believe. One second before, or one second after, he would still be with us.”

Quebec City Mayor Régis Labeaume and other politicians were present in the crowd. During a press conference late Monday afternoon, Labeaume said that Quebec City is still in a state of shock.

The National Assembly also honoured the victims’ memories Tuesday afternoon with a minute of silence.

A similar vigil was held Monday evening in honour of Suzanne Clermont. The 61-year-old hairdresser had stepped outside her home on Des Ramparts Street on Saturday night and came face-to-face with the assailant, who has been identified as Carl Girouard.

Five other people were also injured and are recovering in hospital.