The man accused of driving his van into pedestrians in Quebec, killing two people and injuring nine others, was charged on Tuesday March 14 with dangerous driving causing death.
The suspect appeared quickly in court and he could face other charges according to the authorities who suspect a deliberate and premeditated act but without apparent reason.
"Before talking about murder, whether premeditated or not, we must let the police continue their work
," said prosecutor Simon Blanchette.
Earlier in the day, Hélène St-Pierre, spokesperson for the Quebec police told AFP that the investigators
"were trying to confirm that the collision was a deliberate act"
.
Monday afternoon, 38-year-old Steve Gagnon mowed down several people who were on a sidewalk in the downtown area of the small town of Amqui, located 650 kilometers north of Montreal.
Several witnesses told local media that the suspect sped 400 to 500 meters along the road, hitting other people in his path.
Among the victims, two men aged 65 and 73 respectively died instantly after being hit by the pick-up.
And three adults, among the nine injured, are still in critical condition.
Read alsoCanada: two pedestrians dead after being mowed down by a pick-up, nine injured
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his heart goes out to the
“small, close-knit community that has been devastated by this incident
. ”
"It's a little discouraging, shocking
," said François Legault, the Quebec premier.
"I feel terribly bad because this is the second time in a month that this has happened,"
he added, referring to the bus driver who last month intentionally hit a daycare center in the suburbs of Montreal in February, killing two children and injuring six others.
On the steps of a local church, a makeshift memorial has been erected, residents have placed dozens of stuffed animals and flowers there.
A mass in honor of the victims is scheduled for Friday.