A 19-year-old man was arrested Thursday evening in connection with a shooting in Montreal’s Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve borough last weekend that sent a 26-year-old man to hospital.
The man is facing charges of attempted murder, discharging a firearm and armed robbery and is expected to appear in court later in the day on Friday.
Montreal police (SPVM) said the incident dates back to April 2 when the pair agreed to meet in person to finalize the details of a transaction that began online on a classified ads site.
The victim had made an offer on a smartphone being sold online and showed up, as directed, to an address on Tellier Street for the final purchase at 7 p.m.
Police said the victim turned to leave after realizing the seller, who was a no-show, didn’t live at the given address.
That’s when police say the 26-year-old was approached and threatened by an armed individual who asked him for his money and phone. A scuffle ensued and the victim was shot in the chest. Police said he managed to run away from his assailant and was able to ask for help a few streets over.
He was rushed to hospital for treatment and survived his injuries.
The 19-year-old was arrested in an apartment a short distance from where the shooting happened. Police said a firearm was seized at the home.
In a news release, police reminded people to proceed with caution when buying, selling or making trades online.
Police recommend meeting up in one of the city’s four secure transaction zones for face-to-face All four are located near police stations and monitored 24/7.
The SPVM also offered more tips for safer transactions, including being accompanied by a trustworthy person, favouring electronic payments over cash and if the offer seems too good to be true, be weary.
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