Quebec provincial police are asking for the public's help in solving the attempted murder of Leonardo Rizzuto, the son of the late reputed Mafia boss Vito Rizzuto.
Rizzuto, 53, was shot in the leg while driving a black Mercedes on the westbound Highway 440 in Laval Wednesday afternoon.
The suspect pulled up beside the car as it approached the exit for Highway 13 and fired several gunshots toward the Mercedes, before driving off, according to police.
Rizzuto managed to stop the vehicle in the parking lot of a funeral home just off the highway. Police officers found the vehicle riddled with bullet holes, including at least two that pierced the driver-side window.
On Thursday, the Sûreté du Québec asked anyone who has information about the shooting, including dash camera footage, to contact investigators by calling 1-800-659-4264.
The attempted murder of the youngest son of the powerful Rizzuto clan was meant to send a strong message to the family, according to one organized crime expert who follows the Montreal criminal underworld closely.
"The target is a big one. Whoever decides to target Leonardo Rizzuto is most likely someone who wants to completely remove the Rizzuto crime family from the crime scene in Montreal," said author and Queen's University lecturer Antonio Nicaso in an interview Wednesday.
"So shooting Leonardo Rizzuto was a decision of people who really want to challenge the Rizzuto family. Otherwise, you don't just choose that kind of target."
- LISTEN to CJAD 800 Radio: Revenge does not expire: Leonardo Rizzuto injured in Laval shooting
