Suspects arrested in relation to separate shootings in western Montreal boroughs
Montreal police (SPVM) has arrested two people in relation to two separate shooting incidents in the western boroughs of the city.
One of the shootings occurred in the borough of LaSalle on July 7; the other took place in Saint-Laurent on July 11.
"The two events are not related," the force emphasizes. "A third suspect, not related to the two previous events, was also arrested for possession of a prohibited weapon following information received."
According to police, at 2:49 p.m. on July 7, 2021, a driver pulled his Range Rover pulled into the parking lot of his passenger's home.
While the driver was still in the vehicle, the suspect, Hammed Berberi, 25, allegedly got out of his black Mercedes, pointed his firearm and said to the driver: "money, money, money."
The victim then fled the scene. Police say the suspect chased him, firing several shots and hitting him with a projectile.
Berberi was arrested on July 22 and remains in custody.
"A .22 calibre handgun was also seized at the time of his arrest," Montreal police said. "He appeared in court and is facing charges of attempted murder, breach of probation and possession of a prohibited firearm."
In a separate incident on July 11, a dispute broke out between two people.
"After discussion, they agreed to meet in the Saint-Laurent area," Montreal police explain. "The victim got into the suspect's vehicle. The suspect's abnormal behaviour made the victim fear that something was about to happen. As the suspect turned towards the back of the vehicle to retrieve an object, the victim got out, but was shot in the back."
The suspect, Mehdi Mohamed Zaoui, 32, was arrested on July 15 in the Toronto area by York Regional Police.
He appeared in court on charges of attempted murder, discharging a firearm and breach of a restraining order; he remains in custody.
In addition, on July 23, Montreal police arrested Nathaniel Pierre, 36, following a tip from the public.
"A search warrant for his residence, as well as two vehicles, was then executed," the force said. "A loaded .12-gauge sawed-off firearm was found inside one of the vehicles, as well as five rounds of ammunition."
Pierre appeared in court on various charges, including unauthorized possession of a firearm and carrying a weapon for dangerous purposes.
These arrests are the latest in the force's attempt to "make gun violence a priority."
Anyone with information about these or any other violent crimes is asked to contact Info-Crime Montreal anonymously and confidentially at 514 393-1133 or online.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Louis Gossett Jr., 1st Black man to win supporting actor Oscar, dies at 87
Louis Gossett Jr., the first Black man to win a supporting actor Oscar and an Emmy winner for his role in the seminal TV miniseries 'Roots,' has died. He was 87.
Weather alerts issued for 7 provinces, 1 territory
Warnings of up to 60 millimetres of rain and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces and one territory ahead of the Easter weekend.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
Luxury cruise line selling world cruise suite for US$1.7 million
Luxury operator Regent Seven Seas Cruises is raising their price tag to eye-watering levels, with a suite on an upcoming 140-day world voyage costing US$1.7 million.
Why Kim Kardashian is being sued for 'knockoff' furniture
The estate of minimalist contemporary artist Donald Judd filed a lawsuit against Kardashian this week, claiming the fashion and beauty mogul promoted 'cheap knockoffs' of his furniture designs.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
A Filipino villager is nailed to a cross for the 35th time on Good Friday to pray for world peace
A Filipino villager has been nailed to a wooden cross for the 35th time to reenact Jesus Christ’s suffering in a brutal Good Friday tradition he said he would devote to pray for peace in Ukraine, Gaza and the disputed South China Sea.
Ontario homeowner on the hook for $27,000 when contractor severed power line
An Ontario man who built a garage on his property has been locked in a battle with his electricity provider for a year and half over a severed power line.
King Charles will attend Easter Sunday service at Windsor
Buckingham Palace officials say King Charles III and Queen Camilla will attend an Easter service at the chapel at Windsor Castle on Sunday.