Double shooting rocks town
Rachel Punch
Local News - Monday, September 13, 2004 @ 07:00
Residents of Iroquois Falls were left shocked and bewildered after a woman was
found shot to death and a man was clinging to life in a Main Street apartment
Saturday morning.
Officers from the Iroquois Falls OPP Detachment responded to an emergency call
from a residence at the corner of Main Street and Helene Avenue just after 11
a.m. Saturday.
Visitors to the home discovered the pair and called police.
The 42-year-old female was pronounced dead at the scene.
A 59-year-old male, also suffering from a gunshot wound, was transported to the
Iroquois Falls Hospital.
He was then transferred under guard to St.Joseph’s Health Centre in Sudbury,
where police said he remains in critical condition.
No names are being released pending notification of the next of kin.
Residents in the area of the home were surprised to hear two people had been
found shot in their neighbourhood.
“It’s shocking,” said Louise Charlebois. “It’s pretty sad.”
The Main Street resident said she was at home Friday night and Saturday.
“I was here getting myself ready for a yard sale,” she said.
She said she didn’t know anything was going on until Saturday, when the police
showed up.
“I heard the sirens,” she said. “I knew something was going on.”
Charlebois said she has known the deceased since high school.
“She was a really nice, quiet person,” she said.
Helene Avenue resident Bertha Rivard was also home all night on Friday.
“We didn’t hear anything,” Rivard said.
“Yesterday morning I came out of church and I saw all the (police cars),”
she said Sunday.
“I didn’t know what was going on. We knew somebody died there.”
Rivard said all the neighbours know each other in the area.
“We’re feeling very sorry for the family.”
Main Street resident Albert Vachon was also home all weekend.
“I don’t know what happened,” he said. “I didn’t hear anything.”
Vachon said police came to his door to question him.
“They’ve been questioning everybody all around,” he said.
On Sunday afternoon, officers were guarding the scene and the road was still
blocked off.
A post mortem examination of the woman is to be scheduled later this week.
The investigation is being conducted by officers from the Iroquois Falls OPP and
the North East Region Crime Unit under the direction of OPP Det. Insp. Mark
Pritchard, criminal investigation branch.