Breaking News: Attempted murder in Pointe Claire

A Pointe Claire man described by a witness as kind to his neighbours to the point of making jam for them is under arrest for attempted murder this hour after trying to shoot his wife.

"She has a small hole in her shirt. We don't know if it's the bullet that did that but for sure she's not injured," said Montreal police media relations officer Olivier Lapointe on a lawn near the townhouses on Sedgefield off of St. John's Boulevard, where the incident took place.

According to Lapointe, police received a telephone call after 10:40 a.m. by the victim herself.

"We know there was an argument between the couple," Lapointe said.

At one point, he added, the husband, 72, picked up a firearm and "shot at least once, if not more."

His wife, 60, managed to escape, Lapointe added, went to a neighbour's home and called police from there.

"What happened next is that (police) evacuated the houses (nearby). They established a security perimeter."

Sedgefield was indeed blocked off to traffic and pedestrians between St. John's Boulevard and Alston Street as The Chronicle arrived on the scene.

There were about 10 police cars, as well as Urgences-Santé sedans and two ambulances present.

"There was an ambulance on this call for the victim to see if she needed attention because she went through something very hard today," said Lapointe. However, she refused ambulance services, he said.

Not much is known about the couple, who have a son in his twenties helping out the investigation.

However, one witness from a nearby home who was evacuated said she was very surprised.

Christine, who did not want to reveal her last name, said the man was very nice, although not someone she has met personally. "He used to make jam for my mom," she said.

Police evacuated her at about 11 a.m.

"It felt very weird, and just unsafe," she said, although she also praised police for their diligence.

Lapointe said the home or people involved are not known to police.

The incident was over by 12 noon.