Two Montreal street gangs, the Profit Boyz and the STL Gang, are suspected of being responsible for two more than 40-shot shootings in March in Brampton and Mississauga, amid a vehicle theft underworld competition.
Deputy Peel Region Police Chief Marc Andrews says six “Montreal young men” staying in an Airbnb in Brampton were attacked by their rivals in mid-March, who showered the building with 22 gunshots.
No one was hurt, but police learned that some of the victims were involved in the car theft. “We have seized reprogrammers and master keys for Dodge vehicles,” Andrews said during a meeting with the Peel Regional Police Board.
“Two days later we had a second shoot […] in Mississauga, where 20 bullets were fired at two men who were getting out of a car to enter another Airbnb. Both were affected, but neither was fatal,” he continued.
Investigators believe the second shooting was in retaliation.
The two criminal groups were likely in the Toronto area stealing vehicles.
Shootings in Toronto… and aftershocks in Montreal!
Mr Andrews noted that the shootings in the Toronto suburbs had had an impact as far away as Montreal.
“Because of those two shootings in the Peel area, there were other shootings in the city of Montreal, including one that resulted in a homicide,” the official said.
The deputy chief refrained from naming the Montreal victim, but all indications are that it could be Khaled Mouloudj, an 18-year-old young man who was killed on Sunday the 19th Journal de Montreal.
The metropolis has seen numerous episodes of gun violence during the second half of March, with at least 10 incidents involving firearms occurring between March 16 and March 29.
Peel police say they identified and handcuffed four suspects in both shootings. A man was first arrested on April 5 in possession of “a firearm and a large quantity of cocaine,” leading to the arrest of three other suspects the next day.
“You have to get out of your head that stealing a car is a property crime. That’s not the case. These thefts fund and fuel violent criminal groups across the country,” said Marc Andrews.
Many criminals steal cars in Ontario to bring to Montreal where they are shipped to other parts of the world. As of April 11, 252 stolen vehicles have been recovered in the Port of Montreal since the beginning of the year. According to the Montreal police, 76% of the victims were from Ontario.
– With Maxime Deland, Agency QMI