Medal of Bravery

• Awarded on: July 21, 2001
• Invested on: December 06, 2001

On August 7, 2000, Jacques Couillard risked his life by confronting an armed man at the Caisse populaire in Baie-des-Sables, Quebec. When an individual appeared at the glass door of the establishment and refused to identify himself, a cashier asked Mr. Couillard, the branch manager, to handle the situation. Mr. Couillard went to the entrance and, noting the man's strange behaviour, asked him to remove his tinted glasses. The suspect then brandished a weapon he was hiding behind his back and fired several shots at Mr. Couillard, hitting him in the shoulder and the head. Despite the force of the impact, a still-conscious Mr. Couillard struggled with his aggressor. Another shot was fired, hitting the bank manager again. Other people then came to his assistance, tied up the aggressor, who was attempting to flee, and restrained him until the police arrived.