Knife-wielding man in custody after Montreal police subdue him with stun gun

The streets around Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) were the scene of a spectacular and chaotic attempt Thursday morning by Montreal police to subdue an armed man — a response that saw three officers sent to hospital as they got to the scene.

Police spokesperson Jean-Pierre Brabant said the incident began at about 7:45 a.m., when patrolling officers saw a man armed with at least one knife on Ste-Catherine and Berri Sts.

Reinforcements arrived at the scene and their pursuit of the man, aged in his 20s and known to police, saw officers try and subdue him with stun-gun blasts, rubber bullets and, at one point, a single gunshot.

However, it wasn’t until a stun gun was used once again that police were able to restrain him, Brabant said.

An amateur video shot at the scene and obtained by the TVA network showed about a dozen police officers slowly pursuing the suspect, and the sound of what might be the firing of rubber bullets mixed with repeated calls to him to surrender.

Brabant said the man was taken to hospital to as a precaution to ensure he had not been severely injured. He will then be taken in for questioning.

He added that three Montreal police officers were taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries after two police cruisers collided while responding to the call.