A 50-year-old man who tried to intervene to break up a fight outside a Montreal bar early Thursday morning is fighting for his life in the hospital. Around 1:35 a.m., an altercation between several individuals broke out in front of a licensed establishment on Pie-IX Boulevard, near 44th Street, in the Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension borough. The victim and another man reportedly tried to intervene to help one of the men involved in the initial altercation. “The 50-year-old man was reportedly struck several times before losing consciousness. The suspects reportedly left the scene before police arrived,” said Montreal police (SPVM) spokesperson Florence Stafford. Upon arrival at the hospital, the man was in critical condition. The Montreal Police Service was awaiting an update on his condition Thursday morning. No arrests have been made at this time. Investigators will review surveillance camera footage and interview witnesses to shed light on the circumstances of the incident. This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Sept. 24, 2026.
