Gatineau No Longer Feels Like a Quiet City: Fatal Shooting in Lac-Beauchamp Area

Gatineau police are investigating a homicide after a late-night shooting in the Lac-Beauchamp area. According to police, the tragedy happened late Thursday evening, around 11:30 p.m., in an establishment on Main Street. When officers arrived, they found a man with serious injuries. He could not be saved and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police closed sections of Duquette West and Duquette East streets near Main Street while investigators and forensic technicians worked at the scene. Anyone who may have seen or heard anything is asked to contact the Service de police de la Ville de Gatineau at 819-243-4636, option 1. Police say all information will be treated confidentially.

For those who have lived in Gatineau for a long time, news like this is especially disturbing. Not so long ago, the city felt like a calm place across the river from Ottawa — family-oriented, quiet, almost provincial. It seemed that serious crimes, shootings and murders happened somewhere far away, in large cities, but not here, not on familiar streets.

That is why it is so troubling to see the general atmosphere changing. In its 2024 report, Gatineau police noted that the number of criminal offences in the city rose by 4%, while crimes against persons increased by 6%. Police also reported the seizure of 282 firearms, 66 of which were linked to criminal cases.

Nationally, homicides remain relatively rare. According to Statistics Canada, in 2024 they accounted for about 0.1% of all police-reported violent crimes. But for a local community, even one such case is already a blow to the sense of safety.

By Victor V.