MONTREAL — A Montreal police (SPVM) mobile command post was deployed on Saturday around 10 a.m. in the Parc-Extension borough, in the hope of obtaining new information after an SPVM officer was the victim of an armed assault Thursday. The mobile command post was set up at the intersection of Bloomfield Ave. and Cremazie Blvd. West, in the hope of meeting other potential witnesses to the assault where the suspect allegedly seized the officer's weapon. SPVM spokesperson Raphael Bergeron said that even what seems to be trivial information can be useful in the context of the investigation. "We invite anyone with information that can help our investigators in this case to come and meet with us," he said. "There is no small information. All information is good and that is why our investigators are present on site." Police also went door-to-door in the area on Saturday, meeting citizens who might have seen something unusual Thursday around 5 p.m. SUSPECT ARRESTED AND APPEARED IN COURT Mamadi Fara Camara, 31, appeared at the Montreal courthouse on Friday, the day after his arrest. He faces three charges, Bergeron said. "We are talking about attempted murder having discharged a prohibited firearm. A second count for having discharged a prohibited firearm and the third count for which he faced, there is talk of an assault with a weapon on a peace officer," he said. Camara's actions allegedly occurred after he was stopped for a violation of the Highway Safety Code. Police have disclosed little information about the assault, due to the ongoing investigation. The SPVM first declared Thursday that a police officer had been shot in the upper body, but changed the statement overnight to indicate that investigators still had to determine what had happened. The nature of the assaulted policeman's injuries has not been revealed, but the SPVM has confirmed that his injuries are not life-threatening. Camara is expected to appear again on Monday to determine whether or not he should remain behind bars during further legal proceedings. -- this report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 30, 2021.
