The SQ is defending the police work in and around the Metropolis at the time of Tuesday evening's shooting during PQ leader Pauline Marois' victory speech.

Leftenant Guy Lapointe of the Criminal Investigations section of the Surete du Quebec says SQ officers and those with the Montreal police force assigned to the Metropolis and its perimeter on election night never "fell down on the job". He says while the exterior door to the backstage area might have been open when the gunman made his appearance, there were armed police officers on both sides of the door and insists that the gunman never would have been able to get into the building where Marois was speaking.

Lapointe is adamant that Marois`safety was never compromised. 

He says the SQ-led investigation to piece together the sequence of events and determine the gunman's possible motivation is continuing and insists that both forces will address any problems that may be highlighted by the probe.

Photo: Olivier Pontbriand (La Presse)