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
Live updates: What star witness in Trump hush money case has said on the stand so far
The star prosecution witness in Donald Trump's hush money trial took the stand Monday with testimony that could help shape the outcome of the first criminal case against an American president.
Police release 3D images of young child found in an Ontario river two years ago
Police have released a three-dimensional image of a young child whose remains were discovered in the Grand River in Dunnville, Ont. almost two years ago.
Steve Buscemi punched in the face while walking in N.Y.C.
Hollywood actor Steve Buscemi has been treated for injuries after being punched in the face while walking in New York City.
Wildfire smoke drifts across Canada, over parts of U.S., prompting air quality advisories
Air quality advisories are in effect across Western Canada as smoky conditions plague some areas, according to the latest forecasts. Here's where.
'A great victory for the industry': Taxi drivers celebrate ruling that found City of Ottawa negligent in allowing Uber to operate
An Ontario Superior Court judge has ruled that the City of Ottawa was negligent in its enforcement of the city's taxi bylaw when it allowed Uber to begin operating in 2014, harming the city's established taxi industry.
'Judge Judy' Sheindlin sues for defamation over National Enquirer, InTouch Weekly stories
'Judge Judy' Sheindlin sued the parent company of the National Enquirer and InTouch Weekly on Monday for a story that she said falsely claimed that she was trying to help the Menendez brothers get a retrial after they were convicted of murdering their parents.
Kamala Harris drops F-bomb during White House live-stream
U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris used a profanity on Monday while offering advice to young Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders about how to break through barriers.
Truck driver accused of intentionally killing Utah officer had been holding a woman against her will
A truck driver accused of intentionally killing a police officer during a traffic stop on a Utah highway had been holding a woman against her will inside the cab of his truck, new court documents reveal.
'Be very, very careful': Wildfire conditions 'still extreme,' says Alberta fire chief
As wildfire conditions remain 'extreme' in northern Alberta, residents are being urged to be extra cautious and follow a fire ban.