A stolen vehicle that police say is suspected to have been used in connection with the alleged assault of a police officer last week in Montreal was located in the southwest area of the city early Friday.
Montreal police spokesperson Caroline Chèvrefils said Friday that a red Hyundai Elantra was parked on Jean-Brillon Street in the LaSalle borough.
Police say the car will be analyzed by experts in the coming hours as part of the ongoing investigation into the alleged attack of the officer during a traffic stop last week in the Parc-Extension neighbourhood.
Investigators with the major crimes division have also set up a command post on the street in hopes of speaking to residents who may have information about the car.
READ MORE: Montreal mayor wants investigation after charges stayed for man accused of attacking police officer
Police say they are also trying to determine if any neighbourhood surveillance cameras captured video of the vehicle and the person behind the wheel.
Chèvrefils said it is possible that the results of the analysis of the car will be known later in the day.
The latest development comes after Montreal police chief Sylvain Caron said Thursday that the investigation into the alleged attack is still ongoing.
He also defended the police department’s investigation amid calls for an independent inquiry after a man who was held in detention for six days in connection with the incident was abruptly let go and had the charges against him stayed.
READ MORE: Charges stayed in case of man accused of Montreal police officer’s attempted murder
Mamadi Fara Camara was suddenly released Wednesday during what was expected to be a bail hearing. Crown prosecutors dropped all charges against Camara after evidence surfaced exonerating him.
On Thursday, Mayor Valérie Plante said she had spoken with Quebec Public Security Minister Geneviève Guilbault about the need for a “neutral” investigation to shed light on what happened to Camara, who is Black. Among other elements, she said the probe should examine whether racial profiling played a part in the incident.
Later that day, Caron defended the actions of the officers who investigated the case, which he described earlier in the day as “exceptionally complex,” adding that he was not opposed to an independent observer verifying their work. He also said Camara remains an important witness.
— With files from Global News’ Kalina Laframboise
© 2021 The Canadian Press
