Hundreds of mourners gathered at Notre Dame de la Defense church in Little Italy Saturday to pay their final respects to Nick Rizzuto Jr.
As family members and friends filed solemnly into the church for the private ceremony, police officers, journalists and curious onlookers filled the area outside.
Bells tolled somberly as Rizzuto's casket was taken out of a hearse and carried inside.
Journalists who tried to enter the church to witness the service were hustled outside by an outraged family member who swore and demanded respect for the deceased.
Rizzuto, son of reputed mafia kingpin Vito Rizzuto, was gunned down in broad daylight on Monday in N.D.G., near the offices of FTM Construction.
CTV Montreal reporter Aphrodite Salas, who was on standby outside of the church, said there were about 600 people at the funeral, but Rizzuto's father was not among them.
Vito Rizzuto is currently serving time in a Colorado prison for racketeering, related to three murders in Brooklyn in 1981.
Nicolo Rizzuto Sr., Nick Jr.'s grandfather and namesake, attended the service despite being on probation.
After the mass -- delivered mostly in Italian -- the majority of mourners were reluctant to speak to the media.
But Josie Tortorici, who identified herself as a relative, said Rizzuto's death has taken a heavy toll on the family.
"He was a good person, a very good family man adored by his wife, and even more by his kids," she said.
Family friend Henry Padulo said people have made unfair assumptions about Rizzuto because of his family's past.
"He was a very, very polite boy, never harassed anybody. But things happen. That's the life," Padulo said.
Ricardo Padulo, Henry's son, said he feels people are judging the entire Rizzuto family too harshly.
"We've known the family for a long time, and say what you want about those people -- they are very honourable people in the Italian community."
