At least one victim in shooting near Laval college linked to a gang: police

At least one of the young men injured in Friday's shooting near a Laval junior college is believed to be affiliated with a street gang, police confirmed at a press conference Saturday.

Laval police (SPL) Chief Pierre Brochet said the victim could be linked to the Flamehead Boys gang, a group active on Laval territory.

He would not confirm whether the victims are linked to College Montmorency. The shooting occurred in a park near the school, triggering a lockdown for those inside the building.

Brochet said teams of police have been deployed to locate the suspect.

He also assured the public that the area surrounding the college is now safe, urging citizens to contact the SPL with any information relevant to the investigation.

He offered his "sincere thoughts" to the students and faculty who experienced a "night of anguish."

It's not the first that time that aggressions of this kind have occurred in Laval, Brochet said, pointing to a "wave of incidents" concerning organized crime.

"We have increased the budget for investigations at the police department by $1.2 million per year to ensure that there are enough investigators dealing with files related to firearms and street gangs," he said.  

People are shown inside College Montmorency in Laval, Que., Friday, November 11, 2022, where three people were shot in a park close to the college. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

CALLS FOR MORE POLICE FUNDING

Laval mayor Stephane Boyer was also at the press conference. He said he asked Quebec Public Security Minister François Bonnardel for more support from the government.

"I was on the phone [...] to ask him for financial support from Quebec, as Montreal has received in recent weeks," he said. "We would like to receive the same support so that our police have all the tools in hand to stop these crime waves. "

The city is also planning to build a new $60 million police station in the heart of Chomedey, the "hottest" crime neighbourhood in Laval, according to the mayor.

The Laval-des-Rapides and Pont-Viau neighbourhoods also have a high concentration of firearm discharges, Brochet added.

When asked about the actions taken by the city, Boyer said Laval has received $5 million in prevention. In addition, a multi-party commission is currently meeting with several stakeholders and organizations to manage the public safety issue.

"I would like to see more police officers on the street, more people doing surveillance to monitor suspects and gather information. I would like to see more investigators, to make sure that all the information needed for investigations is collected," he said.

In addition to investments in police forces, the mayor said he wants to devote money from the city budget to social development agencies -- funding that traditionally comes from the federal government.

"We're talking about a few million dollars," he said. "We are ready to go further and break this paradigm to support the mission of organizations."

Boyer said the city intends to work closely with community organizations to reduce the number of young people who become involved in crime.

COLLEGE EVACUATED

The lockdown at College Montmorency finished shortly after midnight Friday. Approximately 500 students and staff had barricaded themselves for several hours.

Four people were wounded Friday evening following shots at a nearby park. Three of them took refuge inside the college, inciting confusion and panic, and a lockdown was instated.

"Around 9:30 last night, we quietly began deconfining classes in groups of 20 to 25 students. There were about 500 people, students and staff, to get out of the college, and after midnight we managed to get everyone out," said SPL spokesperson Geneviève Major.

Two 20-year-old men and a 19-year-old man were transported to hospital with gunshot wounds. A fourth person suffered a minor shrapnel wound and was treated at the scene. Their lives are not in danger.

"At least one of the victims, a male in his 20s, is known to our departments for a history of violence. At this time, the link between the victims and the suspect has yet to be determined at the investigative level," said Major.

Quebec Premier François Legault took to Twitter Friday night and said his government is closely monitoring the situation.

"The shooting near Montmorency College is troubling. François Bonnardel is in contact with law enforcement," Legault said in a tweet. "My thoughts are with the victims and their loved ones. We will relentlessly fight gun violence on our streets to keep Quebec a safe place."

Students and staff at another Quebec college were placed on lockdown earlier in the day.

On Friday morning in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Montérégie, a 19-year-old man wearing a bulletproof vest was arrested at a junior college and has been charged with uttering threats. The school was put under lockdown. No one was injured.

There does not appear to be a connection between the two events. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Nov. 12, 2022.