A Canadian bus driver has been charged with first-degree murder after ramming a day care in Quebec, injuring six children and killing two.
Pierre Ny St-Amand, 51, was charged with first-degree murder, attempted murder, aggravated assault and assault with a weapon or causing bodily harm after reportedly driving his city bus into a daycare center, according to CBC.
Police have charged a bus driver with first-degree murder after he drove his vehicle at a high speed into a day care center north of Montreal, killing two children, injuring six and leaving authorities searching for a motive. https://t.co/4vZxOesN9U
— The Associated Press (@AP) February 9, 2023
Witnesses to the incident claim that after crashing into the daycare, St-Amand exited the bus and stripped out of his clothes. “He opened the door. He took off all his clothes. He was totally naked,” local resident Hamdi Ben Chaabane said, per CBC. “We don’t know why he did that. We dove on him. We tried to subdue him.”
“It was a nightmare. It’s horrible. He didn’t stop yelling. He wasn’t saying words,” Chaabane continued.
One child was pronounced dead at the scene, while seven others were rushed to the hospital for their injuries, police spokesman Erika Landry told CBC, adding that one of the injured children died at the hospital.
“It’s a tragic act,” Laval Mayor Stéphane Boyer told CBC. “Obviously there are lots of parents right now wondering if their child was affected. I really want to be there for the families, show support.”
St-Amand worked for the bus company for ten years and had no prior incidents on his record, Boyer confirmed. “There is a hypothesis that this was an intentional act but it will have to be confirmed by the investigation,” Boyer added, telling CBC that it was not clear if St-Amand had any connection to the daycare.
“From what I saw, it wasn’t an accident,” Chaabane said, according to the outlet. He told the bus was appeared to be traveling 30 or 40 km/h (roughly 18 to 25 miles per hour) when it hit the daycare. (RELATED: Police Say Pedestrian Killed In ‘Intentional’ Car Crash)
A virtual court proceeding took place Wednesday for St-Amand. Another is scheduled to take place in person on Feb. 17.