Montreal community gathers for candlelight vigil to honor murdered shop owner

A candlelight vigil was held Friday evening in Montreal for Chong Woo Kim, the owner of a corner store who was murdered the day before while at work.

Rosario Noriega said she visits the store, known as a dépanneur in Quebec, often because her parents live in a nearby building. She said she buys stuff for her parents. She attended the vigil, and told CBC that Kim was always smiling.

“He was very nice. Very calm. He didn’t talk a lot,” said Noriega, recognizing that he was at work early every day. That’s something she admires, she explained. 

Xavier Gellatly, 35, appeared in a Montreal courthouse Friday to face a charge of first-degree murder in the death of Kim, who was found dead early Thursday morning inside his Plateau-Mont-Royal dépanneur. The arrest followed a citywide police search of Montreal’s Metro network that ended at the Complexe Desjardins shopping mall.

The accused has an extensive criminal record spanning two provinces, including a 2012 manslaughter conviction for the fatal stabbing of a mother of two in a Vancouver hotel. A 2016 Parole Board of Canada report warned he was at high risk for violent reoffending and said that if released he would likely kill again.

Antonio Zorbas, 12, was at the vigil Friday evening, paying his respect to Kim’s family. He said he shopped at the store from time to time because it's near his home. 

“It makes me feel sad,” Zorbas said. “It’s very horrible and sad. That’s how I would describe it.”

Nikola Sigur was at the vigil as well. He has been a regular at the shop, called Fleur Bleue, located on Berri Street, opposite the Laurier Metro station. He called the homicide devastating. 

“I got heavy cream from here the other day,” he said. He also bought flowers there on Wednesday to celebrate the 11-month anniversary with his boyfriend. “So I got, like, a red rose.”

Dépanneurs are spread throughout Montreal neighbourhoods, but for Sigur, this one is special because it's near where he moved into his first apartment. 

“I remember coming here, one of the first nights I moved in, and thinking, like wow, I feel so adult,” he said. “It’s always been a very special place in my time here.”

Martin Vincent and Brigitte Benoit were at the vigil as well, both emotional as they explained to CBC what Kim and his family have meant to the community — offering kindness and support to those in need, such as those who run out of funds at the end of the month.

“They’re always there to listen to us with their smiles,” Benoit said through tears.

Gaby Matumba said his home neighbours the shop. He works out every morning, he said, and stopping by the Fleur Bleue for a drink, like a bottle of water, is part of his routine. He said the atmosphere was always humorous and friendly. He said he is very disappointed by what happened.