A police officer from the Sûreté du Québec who wanted to shoot an injured moose in Abitibi-Témiscamingue drew so dangerously that many of his bullets entered the house of a family in the middle of the night.
A judge of the Administrative Court of Police Ethics recently concluded that Agent Grégory Vézeau “endangered a couple and their two adolescents on a rural road in the Amos sector.
The facts date back to the night of March 4 to 5, 2022 when agent Vézeau and his colleague are informed of the presence of a bounded to a paw after a collision with a motorist.
The agents then recovered a rifle at the police station and head for the animal, which they find on the ground of a residence.
On the spot, around 1:30 am, Grégory Vézeau fills eight shots to shoot down the animal, even if it was “injured, bogged down in the snow and struggled to move”, we can read in the decision.
Ball hole in their window
During the next two days, the couple ownership of a house located about 70 m discovered damage to their residence. First, a damaged drawer in the kitchen, then a perforated window above a sink.
The investigation shows that three bullets from the Vézeau agent hit the house and two of them penetrated the building.
The court argues that the policeman has neglected to respect the security measures that he was taught and did not follow the procedure provided for by the Sûreté du Québec, which was filed in evidence, but whose content was cavited.
“A reasonably prudent policeman would have assured that no other house was in the east of the moose. […] The fault is serious and is characterized by a cumulation of judgment errors of the Vézeau agent. His behavior moves out of the standard, “said Judge Benoit McMahon.
Agent Grégory Vézeau in uniform.
Photo taken from Facebook
The policeman then “aggravated” the situation, noted the court, by filling out his report on the use of his firearm several hours later, under the order of his chain of command. This did not follow up with the couple who received bullets in their house and who remained in uncertainty and misunderstanding by seeing the impacts of projectiles at home.
The judge concluded that the agent Vézeau committed two offenses, that is to say to make a mistake of judgment and to lack professionalism, in addition to having used a piece of equipment, that is to say a weapon, without prudence and discernment.
The sanction which will be imposed on it must be determined in an upcoming hearing.