2012 Montreal shooting

On the night of September 4, 2012, the Parti Québécois won the Quebec general election, with a minority government. Party leader Pauline Marois was partway through her victory speech at the Métropolis in downtown Montreal when Richard Henry Bain, in an attempt to assassinate her and "kill as many separatists as possible", approached the building and opened fire with a semi-automatic rifle, killing one stage technician and severely injuring another.[2][3] After his rifle jammed, Bain lit a fire in the back of the building and was quickly tackled and apprehended by Montreal police.[4] In 2016, Bain was convicted of second-degree murder along with three counts of attempted murder and was sentenced to twenty years in prison.[5]

2012 Quebec election shooting
Caution tape and policemen at Saint Catherine Street in front of the Métropolis building, after the shooting
LocationMontreal, Quebec, Canada
DateSeptember 4, 2012 (UTC-4)
Attack type
Shooting, arson
Weapons
Deaths1
Injured1
PerpetratorRichard Henry Bain
MotiveOpposition to the Quebec sovereignty movement

Details

Bain, wearing a blue bathrobe and black balaclava approached the back door of the Métropolis theatre with a 9mm CZ 75 semi-automatic pistol[6][7] and a Česká Zbrojovka-858 semiautomatic rifle.[8][9][10] Initial eyewitness reports claimed the rifle was an AK-47 assault rifle, which is similar in appearance to the semiautomatic CZ-858.[11][12] Bain opened fire, killing Denis Blanchette, a 48-year-old male stage technician.[13] His 27-year-old colleague, Dave Courage, was critically wounded.

Marois was whisked away from the stage without harm by her bodyguards, and the suspect was apprehended and arrested, shortly after he had started a fire at the back entrance of the building. While being led to the police vehicle during his arrest, the suspect called out "The English are waking up!" and "It's going to be fucking payback."[14] Although in 2012 it was reported the shooter used a Molotov cocktail,[15] it was later alleged Bain poured gasoline on a door and ignited it with a road flare.[16] Several families living in the area had to be evacuated out of their homes due to the fire, which was quickly doused.[17][18][19] The Sûreté du Québec announced that the shooting would be investigated as a potential attempted assassination on Marois, the then-premier-designate.[20]

The Métropolis, the site of the attack

Perpetrator

Richard Henry Bain (born September 8, 1950) was an evangelical Baptist from La Conception, Laurentides, Quebec.[17][21][22] Police searched Bain's vehicle and found a 9mm Beretta pistol, a .357 Magnum revolver, a .22-calibre semi-automatic rifle, lighter fluid and gas canisters that could have been used for the fire.[17]

Bain faced 16 charges, including one first-degree murder and three attempted murders; the remnant charges are related to arson and weapons violations. In several of the multiple court hearings, Bain claimed that Jesus Christ is his lawyer. After losing his legal aid lawyer, he looked for a new lawyer and read up on the criminal code to represent himself. He had a preliminary hearing scheduled on March 12, 2013.[23][24][25]

With Alan Guttman as his new defence lawyer, Bain's trial was delayed to May 2016 while Guttman sought an expert to perform another psychiatric evaluation of Bain. Guttman claimed that Bain was on anti-depressants with side effects on personality and hallucinations.[26]

During the trial, Guttman argued the defendant was not criminally responsible.[27] However, forensic psychiatrist Dr. Joel Watts, called by the Crown, testified Bain understood his actions were wrong.[28] In their closing arguments, the prosecution cited handwritten answers Bain provided to psychiatrist Marie-Frédérique Allard, who had previously testified for the defense, which stated "If my rifle had not jammed I would have killed other people" and "if Madame Marois could be seen, I would have killed her."[29]

On August 23, 2016, Bain was found guilty of second-degree murder and three counts of attempted murder.[30] Sentencing arguments were heard in September 2016.[31] On November 18, 2016, Bain was sentenced to life imprisonment without eligibility for parole until he has served 20 years of that sentence.[32]

Official reaction

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper stated that he was 'shocked and saddened' by the shooting, and that "such violence has no place in Canada".[33] At a party caucus meeting in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, New Democratic Party leader Tom Mulcair issued the following statement: "Our first thoughts are with the victims and their families and those that were close to them. We're going to continue to let the police do their work before commenting any further on these tragic events." On September 6, it was reported that Denis Blanchette would be given a civic funeral.[34] The funeral was held on September 10, with Marois and former premier Bernard Landry among the dignitaries in attendance.[35] Équipe Spectra also organized a benefit concert in memory of Blanchette, with funds to support Blanchette's four-year-old daughter.[36]

References
  1. "Richard Henry Bain trial: Crown says Quebec election shooting suspect was upset earlier that day". Global News. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
  2. "Quebec election-night shooter Richard Bain found guilty of second-degree murder in death of stagehand". nationalpost. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
  3. Chasdi, Richard J. (2012). "Terrorism in North America (Canada, United States, Mexico), 1970 – 2010: a Research Note". Perspectives on Terrorism. 6 (4/5): 145–159. ISSN 2334-3745.
  4. "Suspect in Parti Québécois shooting hit with 16 criminal charges, including first-degree murder". National Post. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
  5. "Quebec's top court rules Richard Henry Bain's sentence in election shooting to stand". Global News. Retrieved July 8, 2021.
  6. "Shooting suspect Richard Henry Bain arraigned on 16 charges, including first-degree murder". Montreal Gazette. September 6, 2012. Archived from the original on September 8, 2012. Retrieved September 11, 2012.
  7. "Richard Henry Bain trial: Crown says Quebec election shooting suspect was upset earlier that day". Global News. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
  8. "427 Quebecers own semi-automatic rifle linked to election-night shooting". Global News. September 7, 2012. Retrieved September 11, 2012.
  9. Montreal shooting suspect in police custody at Euronews; published September 5, 2012; retrieved September 5, 2012
  10. PQ shooting suspect faces charges including murder, arson. The Observer, September 6, 2012. Retrieved September 11, 2012.
  11. "No AK this: the Czech Sa vz.58". Guns Magazine. 2009.
  12. "Victory rally a crime scene". Toronto Star. September 5, 2012. Retrieved September 6, 2012.
  13. "Denis Blanchette est mort en héros". La Presse. September 6, 2012. Retrieved September 6, 2012.
  14. "Attentat Pauline Marois - Arrestation de Richard Henry Bain". La Presse. September 4, 2012. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
  15. Suspect in PQ shooting acted alone: Cops. The Londoner, September 5, 2012. Retrieved September 11, 2012.
  16. The Canadian Press (June 15, 2016). "Survivor of PQ election-night shooting testifies at Richard Henry Bain murder trial". The Montreal Gazette. Retrieved August 24, 2016.
  17. Suspected PQ rally gunman ID'd as Mont Tremblant man at CBC.ca, by CBC News; published September 5, 2012; retrieved September 5, 2012
  18. Holly Yan; Michael Pearson (September 5, 2012). "Gunman targets Quebec premier at victory speech". CNN. Retrieved September 5, 2012.
  19. Fatal Shooting At Quebec Separatist's Victory Speech, at TIME, by Judith Welikala; published September 5, 2012; retrieved September 5, 2012
  20. "'The anglos are waking up': Pauline Marois possible target of Quebec election gunman". National Post. September 5, 2012. Retrieved September 12, 2012.
  21. Yahoo! Canada News (September 5, 2012). "Police identify Richard Henry Bain as a suspect in Parti Quebecois victory rally shooting". Yahoo! News. Retrieved September 5, 2012.
  22. Richard Henry Bain: «il était fin avec tout le monde» at La Presse; published September 6, 2012; retrieved August 29, 2017
  23. "Richard Bain to defend himself on trial". CTV News. La Presse Canadienne. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
  24. "Accused in fatal Quebec election night shooting faces 16 charges". CBC News. September 6, 2012. Retrieved September 6, 2012.
  25. "Election-night shooting suspect wants to defend himself". The Montreal Gazette. February 20, 2013.
  26. The Canadian Press (July 30, 2015). "Richard Henry Bain's lawyer gets extension on trial". CBC News. Retrieved October 3, 2015.
  27. Graeme Hamilton (July 18, 2016). "Richard Bain tells murder trial anti-depressant drugs changed him before 2012 PQ attack". National Post. Retrieved August 24, 2016.
  28. Jaela Bernstien (August 13, 2016). "Why a not criminally responsible verdict is unlikely in Quebec's election-night murder case". CBC News. Retrieved August 24, 2016.
  29. "Quebec election-night shooter Richard Bain found guilty of second-degree murder in death of stagehand". nationalpost. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
  30. "Quebec's top court rules Richard Henry Bain's sentence in election shooting to stand". Global News. Retrieved July 8, 2021.
  31. Jaela Bernstien (August 23, 2016). "Richard Bain guilty of 2nd-degree murder in 2012 Quebec election-night shooting". CBC News. Retrieved August 24, 2016.
  32. "R. c. Bain, 2016 QCCS 5785". CanLII. November 18, 2016.
  33. Fatal shooting at Pauline Marois Quebec victory speech at The Guardian; by Isabeau Doucet; published September 5, 2012; retrieved September 5, 2012
  34. "Denis Blanchette to be given civic funeral". Montreal Gazette. September 6, 2012. Retrieved September 7, 2012.
  35. Hundreds attend PQ rally shooting victim's funeral. CBC News, September 10, 2012. Retrieved September 11, 2012.
  36. "Family of victim in PQ victory party shooting holds no 'hostility'". CBC News. September 7, 2012. Retrieved September 8, 2012.

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