Gunshots fired on Montreal building owned by man with 2 other properties hit by arson

MONTREAL — Three people have been charged in connection with gunshots that were fired late Tuesday night at a building owned by a Montreal lawyer who also possesses two properties targeted by deadly fires.

Police said gunfire hit the building in Old Montreal, which according to city property records is owned by Emile Benamor. He also owns two other buildings in the city’s historic district that were targeted since 2023 by alleged arson, leading to the deaths of nine people.

Benamor’s Notre-Dame Street East building went up in flames last Friday; it housed a restaurant at street level and a hostel on the upper floors. The fire claimed the lives of a mother and daughter from France. Police identified the victims as Léonor Geraudie, 43, and seven-year-old Vérane Reynaud Geraudie.

Benamor is also the owner of a heritage property on nearby Place D’Youville that was allegedly set on fire in March 2023, leading to the deaths of seven people. The victims in that blaze were identified as Camille Maheux, 76; An Wu, 31; Dania Zafar, 31; Saniya Khan, 31; Nathan Sears, 35; Charlie Lacroix and Walid Belkahla, both 18.

A coroner’s inquest has been ordered into the fatal fires, both of which are being investigated by police. The results of the 2023 Notre-Dame Street fire investigation have been submitted by investigators to the Crown for possible charges. Lucas Bastien, a spokesperson for the Crown attorney’s office, said in an email it’s difficult to say how long it will take for prosecutors to review the file.

A lawyer who represents Benamor did not return a message on Wednesday seeking comment.

Police did not formally identify Benamor as the owner of the building targeted by gunfire on Tuesday, and they wouldn’t say if there are any links between the arrests and the two fires. The building on Berri Street hosts Benamor’s law office.

Shortly after Tuesday night’s shooting, police arrested three suspects — aged 17, 19 and 20 — in a small, white truck that was spotted by witnesses leaving the scene. “A firearm was located in the vehicle in question,” Const. Jean-Pierre Brabant said.

There were no injuries stemming from the shooting, which occurred just before midnight and left shell casings scattered on the ground.

Michel Manueli Likeng Mbappe, 19, and Rayann Olsen Kimbatsa, 20, appeared before a Quebec Court judge on Wednesday afternoon on charges of intentionally discharging a firearm, possession of a prohibited firearm, possession of a prohibited weapon, being in a vehicle with a prohibited weapon and possessing a stolen vehicle.

The two men were detained and will return to court in the coming days for bail hearings.

According to the charges, the firearm in question was a Glock semi-automatic pistol, and the trio allegedly had a prohibited capacity magazine.

Bastien said a 17-year-old suspect appeared in youth court in Montreal under similar charges, but has also been charged with dangerous driving and failing to stop while being pursued by a peace officer.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 9, 2024.

Sidhartha Banerjee, The Canadian Press