Surete du Quebec partnering with Montreal police to combat gun trafficking after deadly shooting
Quebec's public safety minister announced a new collaboration between the Sûreté du Québec (SQ) and Montreal police to fight gun trafficking following a triple homicide on the island on Monday.
Geneviève Guilbault made the announcement at a news conference in Montreal Wednesday morning alongside the city's mayor and other public officials in a showing of solidarity in the fight against gun violence that has risen in recent weeeks.
The minister said an "integrated team" of SQ and Montreal police officers will work together on a permanent basis to combat gun trafficking in the city. Guilbault said more details about the new collaboration will be revealed at a later date.
"The fact that we'll be joining forces with Sûreté du Quebec will enable us to recuperate some resources and re-inject them on the fight against armed violence in the streets of Montreal," said Montreal police chief Sylvain Caron at the announcement. He was joined by Mayor Valérie Plante, Minister Guilbault, as well as the Director General of the SQ, Johanne Beausoleil, for the announcement.
The news conferrence follows Monday’s deadly shooting that claimed the lives of three men and injured two others in the east end borough of Rivière-des-Prairies–Pointe-aux-Trembles. A volley of bullets were shot towards the group of five men at an apartment building at 9301 Perras Blvd., near 54th Avenue.
Insp. David Shane confirmed Wednesday it was a drive-by shooting, but he did not share any more details, including the type of guns that were involved or the motive behind the shooting.
In response to the violence, community members in RDP have said more policing is not the solution to gun and gang violence because they fear it will lead to animosity among marginalized communities.
Shane acknowledged the gun violence plaguing certain neighbourhoods is "a society problem that needs a global approach," but added that it's difficult to treat it as just a societal issue when there is violence on the streets.
"We're working on different fronts," Shane said.
"So we're conducting investigations, we're visible on the streets with uniformed personnel to reassure people, and to deter any reaction or vengeance in these groups, but we're also working with the community neighbourhood stations with the community organizations."
The triple homicide during daylight hours on Monday drew widespread condemnation from public officials, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who said on Twitter "the rise in gun violence in Montreal over the past few weeks is disturbing — and it must stop."
Minister Guilbault also expressed her condolences to the victims of Monday's shooting.
"We understand that people are worried right now, that people who live in those places material are worried right now," she said. "This is a worrying situation, because this is not the first tragic event that occurs in the last weeks."
She said the province will also develop a committee with offficials from public safety and the city for a crime prevention strategy to combat other types of crimes.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING NEWS Honda to get up to $5B in govt help for EV battery, assembly plants
Honda is set to build an electric vehicle battery plant next to its Alliston, Ont., assembly plant, which it is retooling to produce fully electric vehicles, all part of a $15-billion project that is expected to include up to $5 billion in public money.
BREAKING New York appeals court overturns Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction from landmark #MeToo trial
New York’s highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction, finding the judge at the landmark #MeToo trial prejudiced the ex-movie mogul with improper rulings, including a decision to let women testify about allegations that weren’t part of the case.
Residents of northern Alberta First Nation told to shelter in place
Residents of John D'Or Prairie, a community on the Little Red River Cree Nation in northern Alberta, were told to take shelter Thursday morning during a police operation.
Monthly earnings rise, payroll employment falls: jobs report
The number of vacant jobs in Canada increased in February, while monthly payroll employment decreased in food services, manufacturing, and retail trade, among other sectors.
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Secret $70M Lotto Max winners break their silence
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Remains from a mother-daughter cold case were found nearly 24 years later, after a deathbed confession from the suspect
A West Virginia father is getting some sense of closure after authorities found the remains of his young daughter and her mother following a deathbed confession from the man believed to have fatally shot them nearly two decades ago.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
Metro Vancouver mayors call for serial killer Robert Pickton to be denied parole
A dozen mayors from around Metro Vancouver say federal Attorney General and Justice Minister Arif Virani should deny parole for notorious B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton, and reassess the parole and sentencing system for 'prolific offenders and mass murderers.'