Police think Montreal teenage shooting death could be part of 'scoring' trend
Montreal police investigating the shooting death of 16-year-old Thomas Trudel say they think that the teen might have been the victim of a trend called "scoring."
"People will set an objective and they're going to brag about it on social media that they accomplished an exploit," said Montreal police deputy director Vincent Richer. "That's what scoring is."
Young gang members or wannabe gang members will settle scores this way, he said -- and hit innocent victims based solely on where they live.
Police say they do it to mark their territory, and, as the name implies, score points for their gang.
In Trudel's case, the youth wasn’t known to be involved in any gang or criminal activities, and police had said he may have been picked at random.
La Presse reported that seconds before he was shot, Trudel was asked by a stranger what school he went to.
The idea of "scoring" brings with it a type of indiscriminate violence that even hardened lifelong criminals try to avoid.
"It's different from the past because before, we used to have crime syndicates that were very precise," said Richer.
Youth workers in Montreal North, Saint-Leonard, and Saint-Michel, where Trudel was killed, say Montreal could become a very troubling place if scoring takes hold.
"Your enemy, instead of going after you, will go after your neighbour or someone from your school, or who hangs out in the same park as you," said St-Michel Youth Forum coordinator Mohamed Mimoune.
Easy access to guns in this context, he said, becomes devastating.
"They don't have the maturity or the empathy at that age," said Mimoune.
The City of Montreal and SPVM say they are now forced to think outside the box when looking for a solution. They've announced an upcoming forum on gun violence in January to get to the root of the problem.
“It's about some opportunities that some people have," said Mayor Valerie Plante. "Some youth have more opportunities than others -- why is it so? A more equal society faces turbulences better."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Iran fires air defence batteries in provinces as sound of explosions heard near Isfahan
Iran fired air defence batteries early Friday morning after reports of explosions near the city of Isfahan, the state-run IRNA news agency reported.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
Nearly half of China's major cities are sinking, researchers say
Nearly half of China's major cities are suffering 'moderate to severe' levels of subsidence, putting millions at risk of flooding especially as sea levels rise.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Judge says 'no evidence fully supports' murder case against Umar Zameer as jury starts deliberations
The judge presiding over the trial of a man accused of fatally running over a Toronto police officer is telling jurors the possible verdicts they may reach based on the evidence in the case.
Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
Colin Jost names one celebrity who is great at hosting 'Saturday Night Live'
Colin Jost, who co-anchors Saturday Night Live's 'Weekend Update,' revealed who he thinks is one of the best hosts on the show.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn't over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball's highest scorer Caitlin Clark's first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
'Shopaholic' author Sophie Kinsella reveals brain cancer diagnosis
Sophie Kinsella, the best-selling author behind the 'Shopaholic' book series, has revealed that she is receiving treatment for brain cancer.