Quebec provincial police stated that a vehicle discovered ablaze in Montreal’s eastern sector early Thursday morning is thought to be connected to a bold daytime shooting at a Starbucks in Laval, Quebec. The incident resulted in the death of a prominent organized crime figure and left two others wounded. The Montreal police located the burning car around 3 a.m. in Rivière-des-Prairies—Pointe-aux-Trembles, near Clément-Ader and Joliot Curie avenues.
According to Radio-Canada, surveillance footage revealed two suspects arriving at the scene shortly before the shooting and fleeing in a grey sedan. It remains uncertain if the burnt car in Montreal corresponds to the vehicle observed in the footage. A command post was established near the shooting site on Thursday.
Following a 911 call on Wednesday morning, Laval police swiftly responded to the coffee shop located inside a busy strip mall. Sources from Radio-Canada confirmed that the deceased individual was Charalambos Theologou, also known as Bobby the Greek, with the two injured individuals being members of his gang, the Chomedey Greeks. Laval police and the Sûreté du Québec were intensifying efforts to locate potential suspects in the fatal shooting.
In an interview with Radio-Canada’s Tout un matin program, Pierre Brochet, Laval’s police chief, emphasized the shooting’s connection to organized crime, echoing statements made by the province’s public security minister. Brochet expressed shock over the incident and mentioned that the investigation was progressing well. Social workers were expected to provide psychological support to mall staff.
Addressing the audacious nature of the shooting, Brochet mentioned shifts in organized crime behavior leading to a disregard for human life. Christopher Skeete, the minister responsible for the Laval region, expressed concern over the situation, emphasizing the abnormality of street gangs engaging in conflicts within residential areas. Both authorities vowed to closely monitor the evolving scenario.