Wednesday Night #1971 – Christmas

A Wednesday Night like no other:
Woman dies after Christmas morning shooting in city’s 24th homicide
Police arrived to find the woman, who had been shot in her upper body, and the body of a 60-year-old man — later identified as her spouse.
A 48-year-old woman who was shot Christmas morning in an apartment in Montreal’s Haddon Hall complex in the Ville-Marie borough has died in hospital of her injuries.
It was Montreal’s 24th homicide of 2019.
A 911 call was made at about 10:45 a.m. for a man who had shot and injured a woman in an apartment on Sherbrooke St. W. near Chomedey St., Montreal police Constable Caroline Chevrefils said.
Police arrived to find the critically injured woman, who had been shot in her upper body — and the body of a 60-year-old man. He was declared dead on the scene. Police later identified him as her spouse and confirmed he had shot himself.
The woman was transported to hospital, where she died of her injuries.
The SPVM’s Major Crimes Unit is involved in the investigation, Chevrefils said.
Sherbrooke St. W. remained closed to traffic between Fort St. and Atwater Ave. Wednesday evening to protect the scene for police investigators and crime scene technicians.
Une femme assassinée par son conjoint le jour de Noël
Le couple se trouvait à l’intérieur de l’appartement d’un immeuble cossu de la rue Sherbrooke Ouest, près de la rue Chomedey.
L’acte violent survenu soudainement le jour de Noël a surpris les résidants du Manoir Haddon Hall, luxueux immeuble du centre-ville. Ce tronçon de la rue Sherbrooke est très calme et la présence policière y est rarissime.
Montreal homicides of 2019: a near-record low, but a tough year for police
… police were called to the Sherbrooke St. W. apartment of Astrid Declerck and Yvan Almodovar. Declerck had been shot and was still alive; she died hours later in a hospital. Police also discovered Almodovar’s lifeless body with a gun in his hand. Court records revealed that the couple, who were originally from France, had filed for a separation in September. According to Le Journal de Montréal, two of the couple’s children, both in their teens, were home when their mother was killed. Police believe Almodovar shot Declerck and then took his own life.

A very special thank-you to Wanda Potrykus whose uncanny instincts led her to join me on that horrific Wednesday Night. Her reassuring presence and our quiet conversation about the many years of our friendship helped me to survive the nightmarish experience.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah!

The creative juices have dried up following last week’s effort, but this is a reminder that the unbroken chain of  Wednesday Nights is a tradition and for those of you who are a) not celebrating anything special this week – your turn will come! – ; b) all celebrated-out ; c) seeking company that is not related to you; or d) simply want to share some conversation:
The doors are open as usual and a warm welcome awaits.

For those who do not come under any of the above descriptions and/or are away:

Whether Atheist, Baha’i, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Shia, Shinto, Sikh, Sunni, Wicca/Pagan, Zoroastrian -or other [non]denomination – each of us has reason to reflect on the happy events – and trials- of the past while celebrating our eternal optimism that the New Year –and decade- will be better!
Wishing you the very best of holidays, health, joy, success in the important matters in your life and the lives of your loved ones and many blessings in the New Year!