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.
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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.
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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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