In a shocking incident of violence and bullying, four teenage students from École secondaire du Mont-Bruno, a high school situated on Montreal’s South Shore, were detained by police. Their arrests are linked to a graphic video displaying an intense assault on a 16-year-old boy, which surfaced and circulated online recently.
The disturbing footage lays bare the brutality inflicted upon the young boy. It captures an individual relentlessly assaulting the teenager, who remains on his knees throughout the attack, whilst fellow students stand by, looking on passively. The grievous incident occurred in proximity to the aforementioned school in Longueuil.
Longueuil law enforcement, abbreviated as SPAL, divulged via a Facebook post that the apprehended suspects were students from the school where the incident occurred. The actions seen in the video have prompted an increase in patrol measures in the area. The victim, while enduring manifold injuries, is not in a life-threatening condition.
In the wake of this condemnable incident, the implicated students have been suspended from school. Education Minister Bernard Drainville expressed his disdain towards the incident, terming it as “outrageous”. His commiserations were extended towards the victim of the savage act. He emphasised that no form of violence condoned or permitted within our educational institutions.
News of the incident propagated swiftly, with authorities intervening promptly as they stumbled across the graphic video. Pending a detailed analysis of the evidence collated thus far, charges that could be filed against the arrested individuals may include assault, armed assault, and potentially kidnapping, according to François Boucher, spokesperson for the Longueuil police force.
The precipitating event that led to the ruthless altercation allegedly occurred on a bus. Unverified information suggests that the teenagers might have accused the teen who was assaulted of removing a hijab from a young woman – a traditional headscarf worn by Muslim females. This is believed to have stirred the alleged assailants into retaliating violently. However, Boucher refrained from commmenting on these specifics due to the ongoing investigation.
To ensure further safety and provide support, police plan to dispatch prevention teams to join forces with the school service centre, the Centre de services scolaire des Patriotes. This joint collaboration aims to offer aid to the victim and other students impacted by the violent episode.
Following a student interview conducted by Noovo Info on Wednesday, additional incidents of violence and bullying at the school were brought to light. This recent act of violence has drawn attention to the worrying trend of escalating school violence in Quebec.
Public Safety Minister François Bonnardel lauded the quick action taken by police officers and commented that violence has no place within or outside the realms of a classroom. The victim and their family were in his thoughts. Furthermore, the school service centre confirmed their immediate response post-incident, stating that the students involved had been interviewed, with relevant action taken to address the victim, the culprits, and the witnesses.
