Murder of Quebec sergeant: No charges for officers who killed suspect after attack

Quebec provincial police officers won’t face charges for killing a man moments after he had allegedly attacked and killed their colleague in March.

Police shot dead Isaac Brouillard Lessard, 35, after Sgt. Maureen Breau was fatally stabbed and her partner was injured on March 27 in Louiseville, Que., about 100 kilometres northeast of Montreal.

Brouillard Lessard had a history of mental health issues and had been found not criminally responsible at least five times before his alleged attack on the two officers.

A Quebec coroner will hold a public inquiry next month into the death of Breau and Brouillard Lessard.

The province’s prosecution service says that after analyzing evidence collected by Quebec’s independent police watchdog, it concluded that the two officers who took down the suspect did not violate the law.

The prosecution service says it won’t comment on its decision until the conclusion of the coroner’s inquest.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 25, 2024.