Two children injured in alleged bus attack on Quebec daycare released from hospital

Photo: The Canadian Press

A city bus is shown next to a daycare centre in Laval, Que, Wednesday, February 8, 2023, after the bus crashed into the building leaving two children dead. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

Two children injured after a transit driver drove a city bus into a Quebec daycare have been released from hospital, Montreal health officials said Thursday.

Two four-year-olds were killed and six other young children were hospitalized after the alleged attack Wednesday in Laval, Que., just north of Montreal. Officials with Montreal's Sainte-Justine children's hospital said two of the four patients transferred into their care have been released.

The two others are in a "favourable" state of health, the hospital said in a statement. "We continue to offer psychosocial support to their families." Two other children injured in the attack were being treated at a Laval hospital.

Pierre Ny St-Amand, a 51-year-old driver with the Laval transit corporation, was arrested at the scene and later charged with two counts of first-degree murder as well as seven other charges, including attempted murder and aggravated assault.

On Thursday morning, authorities were still trying to understand what could have led someone to deliberately drive a bus into a daycare. "The motive remains incomprehensible still today," Public Security Minister François Bonnardel told reporters in Quebec City.

Asked what authorities could have done to prevent that kind of violence, Bonnardel said "no one can predict this kind of event. No one can predict that someone gets up in the morning, takes off with a bus and decides to hit a daycare with a bus."

Witnesses said the driver was delirious after exiting the bus, tearing off his clothes and screaming as several people restrained him on the ground before police arrived.

Late Wednesday, a police cruiser and two officers were stationed outside St-Amand's home on a quiet suburban street about 10 kilometres from the site of the tragedy. Several neighbours described the accused as a quiet, pleasant father of two young girls.

One man, Thanh-Ry Tran, said his family got together with St-Amand’s family a few times a year, adding that their wives would sometimes help each other in picking up or dropping off children. He said St-Amand had never shown signs of distress.

Lionel Carmant, the minister responsible for social services, told reporters in Quebec City that regional health officials in Laval found no evidence the accused had received care for mental health issues or had requested help.

Laval police spokeswoman Erika Landry says police have completed their investigation at the scene, and the bus was removed from the building. A command post was in place on Thursday with crisis workers on site to provide support to any citizens requiring it.

Later on Thursday, Quebec Premier François Legault will visit the neighbourhood where the attack occurred. He will be joined by leaders of Quebec's opposition parties to offer support to the families and daycare workers affected by the tragedy.