Two men shot to death in separate incidents in St-Laurent and Ahuntsic

Article content material

Montreal police say it’s just about sure that two deadly shootings carried out inside the house of an hour in several elements of the town Tuesday night time have been dedicated by the identical particular person.

Article content material

Chief inspector Marie-Claude Dandenault stated Wednesday night that “one shooter is liable for each shootings. For me to substantiate it 100 per cent, we’re ready on a number of particulars. We’re ready on the ballistics report. However 99 per cent the identical particular person is liable for each shootings.”

A number of media experiences steered the victims have been chosen randomly by the killer, however police say they can not affirm that at this stage.

“Proper now, we are able to’t say that,” Dandenault stated. “However I can’t say it’s not. That’s the factor. Proper now we have now loads of situations that we’re . We will’t say they’re random, however we are able to’t rule it out.”

There is no such thing as a indication the homicides have been gang associated. The police have some eyewitnesses and have a lead on a automobile.

Article content material

The deaths are the most recent within the plague of gun violence within the metropolis this yr. They occurred after two youngsters have been killed final Thursday in Montreal West.

The primary of Tuesday night time’s shootings was reported round 9:45 p.m. at Jules-Poitras and Deguire Blvds. close to Roman-Zytynsky Park within the borough of St-Laurent. Officers discovered the physique of a 64-year-old man who had been shot not less than as soon as within the higher physique. He was declared useless on the scene.

The sufferer was André Lemieux, the daddy of native skilled boxer David Lemieux. On Wednesday, the previous Worldwide Boxing Federation middleweight champion posted a message on Instagram saying: “R.I.P dad.”

Article content material

In line with courtroom data, André Lemieux resided on Jules-Poitras Blvd. and near the place he was shot. He was not too long ago charged in an impaired driving and drug possession case that was nonetheless pending on the Montreal courthouse.

Lemieux had a prolonged prison file, however his most up-to-date conviction got here in 2008 after he pleaded responsible to a theft he carried out that very same yr. He obtained a sentence he might serve in the neighborhood in addition to three years of probation.

The second sufferer was Mohamed Salah Belhaj, 48, killed a number of kilometres northeast of the primary capturing, at an intersection within the Ahuntsic district round 10:50 p.m. He, too, had been shot not less than as soon as within the higher physique and was declared useless on the scene.

A spokeswoman for the regional well being board, the place the sufferer labored, confirmed his id.

Article content material

“We’re disturbed to study of the demise in tragic circumstances of Mr. Mohamed Salah Belhaj, intervention officer on the Albert-Prevost Psychological Well being Hospital,” wrote Emilie Jacob, a spokeswoman for the well being board serving the Nord-de-l’Ile-de-Montréal.

“We wish to provide our deepest condolences to his family members.”

Mayor Valérie Plante expressed her unhappiness concerning the killings.

Article content material

Plante tweeted: “My coronary heart is with the households and shut mates of the 2 victims of those odious crimes final night time in Montreal. I perceive the troubles of residents following these occasions. Please know that the SPVM is doing every thing they’ll to make clear these crimes.”

However Abdelhaq Sari, spokesperson for public safety for opposition social gathering Ensemble Montréal, stated the Plante administration is just not doing sufficient.

Sari stated in a written assertion: “Gun violence continues to extend in Montreal. Sadly, this situation is way from a precedence for the Plante administration. We’ve proposed a collection of options to deal with this situation: a summer time safety plan, a re-establishment of the variety of cops, an analysis of the wants of social employees. … Sadly, none of those options have been put in place. Essentially the most troubling side is the administration’s refusal to just accept any proposal with no different resolution. How lengthy will it take earlier than Projet Montréal realizes that safety can also be the accountability of the Metropolis of Montreal?”

Article content material

Iyeb Abdrabou, who lives close to the nook of Sauvé and Meilleur streets in Ahuntsic, stated he heard what gave the impression of gun pictures Tuesday night time.

“Over the previous two years, we hear loads of capturing within the space and we begin to develop into extra frightened about what’s occurring right here within the neighbourhood,” Abdrabou stated. “I don’t really feel safe. What’s occurring in Montreal within the final couple of years, we thought this was occurring in america and even Toronto, however now we are able to see that one thing goes mistaken within the metropolis. I don’t suppose the police do sufficient. With the gangs, a child could possibly be hit, or a dad, simply the mistaken place on the mistaken time. I’ve a 12-year-old daughter and he or she’s about to go to highschool and I’m actually frightened. I don’t suppose I’m going to let her go on the bus.”

Article content material

Marvens Jean, a 17-year-old enjoying basketball in St-Benoit Park in Ahuntsic on Wednesday, proper beside the place the homicide befell, stated it’s disturbing to suppose somebody was killed metres away from the basketball courtroom.

“It’s the primary time I’ve heard of somebody being shot right here,” Jean stated. “I assumed we have been secure right here.”

Crime scenes have been arrange at each websites and the slayings deliver to 17 the variety of homicides dedicated this yr on the island of Montreal. There have been 16 homicides reported through the corresponding interval final yr.

The Canadian Press contributed to this report.