CALEB NICKERSON
SHAWVILLE March 27, 2020
On Friday morning, police arrested a 21 year-old man for allegedly threatening workers at the Hayes Funeral Home crematorium in Shawville and not complying with the officers that responded to the call.
Sûreté du Québec spokesperson Marc Tessier said officers received a call around 7:30 a.m. on March 27 that a man was apparently threatening workers at the crematorium who were demolishing part of the building, which was badly damaged by an explosion last week. He said that the suspect allegedly brandished what appeared to be a Taser or imitation stun gun.
“When police officers were on the scene, they discussed with the suspect, who was very agitated and did not [cooperate], so we did have to arrest that person,” Tessier said, adding that he was released shortly after. “He’s due in court at a later date. He could be facing charges of [disturbing] the peace, breach of probation and … assault with a weapon.”
A video showing a portion of the arrest was posted to social media and at the time of publication had been viewed more than 2,000 times. The 15 second clip shows three officers restraining a man on the ground, while the person taping the video shouts at the officers that the suspect doesn’t have a weapon. As she approaches the officers making the arrest, one tells her, ‘Enough.’ When she doesn’t move back, another officer knocks her phone to the ground and the video ends shortly after.
When asked if the officers recovered a weapon, Tessier said he didn’t have any information regarding whether or not one was found.
