News Releases

Quebec Region

News Release

Communiqué

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DONNACONA, QC, March 17, 2005 - On March 16, 2005, at about 9:10 p.m., during activities in the gym in sector 240, a fight between two inmates degenerated into assault with a weapon. Since the sounding of a siren did not stop the fight, a tear gas canister had to be used. Subsequently, tear gas had to be used three more times to bring the situation under control.

One of the inmates was armed with a piece from the arm of a chair while the other used a shiv. Both two fighters suffered non-life-threatening injuries. One was hospitalized for further examination in an outside hospital while the other was kept under observation for his head injuries at the institutional health centre.

All 69 inmates who were in the gymnasium at the time were frisked and returned to their cells where they were offered showers so that they could be decontaminated.

No staff were injured and public safety was not compromised at any time during the incident.

A general search of the institution is currently in progress and will continue until Friday.

The Sûreté du Québec has been advised and an investigation is being conducted to determine the circumstances of the incident.

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For further information, media representatives are asked to contact

Carl Pelletier
Assistant Executive Director
(418) 285-2455, ext. 2101 or 2130