MONTREAL – A 24-year-old man accused of killing two people with a samurai sword and wounding five others in Quebec during a Halloween rampage is to undergo a psychological evaluation, his lawyer said during a court hearing yesterday.
Carl Girouard, who stands accused of two counts of murder and five of attempted murder, made a brief appearance before the court by videolink.
Lawyer Benoit Labrecque said he has asked a psychiatrist to carry out an assessment of his client to see if he was fully aware of his actions on the evening of October 31 in the old city of Quebec.
Girouard, dressed in a mediaeval costume and wielding a Japanese sword, spread terror for several hours as the city celebrated Halloween, attacking his victims in what appeared to be a random manner.
Two were killed and five wounded, including two French nationals who have been living in Canada for several years.
Canadian media reports said Girouard has suffered from mental health issues for years.
The Montreal native was arrested without resistance shortly before 1am, after a manhunt that lasted hours in the old quarter. – AFP, November 21, 2020
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