Shooting victim in Little Italy was brother of reputed gang leader
The victim of a drive-by shooting in Montreal's Little Italy neighbourhood on Saturday was the brother of reputed gang leader Jean-Philippe Célestin, a source confirmed to CTV News.
Jean Brandon Célestin was shot multiple times after leaving a restaurant on Bellechasse Street just after midnight.
Montreal police (SPVM) have not officially announced the victim's identity, but confirmed they're investigating the fatal shooting of a 28-year-old man.
A spokesperson said officers were called to the corner of Bellechasse and Saint-Denis Streets around 12:15 a.m.
Upon arrival, they discovered a man with serious injuries on the pavement. Officers attempted to resuscitate him, but he was pronounced dead on the scene.
Several shell casings were found on the ground nearby.
No arrests were made by mid-afternoon Saturday. Preliminary information suggests one or more suspects fired at the victim from inside a vehicle before fleeing the scene.
'Reorganization of organized crime'
Daniel Renaud is a reporter at La Presse specializing in organized crime.
Speaking to CTV News on Saturday, he said the victim's brother, Jean-Philippe Célestin, is a major player in downtown Montreal's drug trade.
The Célestin brothers also served as "right-hands" to organized crime kingpin Gregory Woolley, who was gunned down in November, said Renaud.
"What the experts think, what the observers think, is that right now we're seeing a reorganization of organized crime in Montreal," he explained.
"Police think that adversaries want to seize control of drug trafficking activities in Montreal."
Court records reveal various charges against Jean Brandon Célestin including assault, harassment and resisting arrest.
His death marks the sixth homicide on the SPVM's territory in 2024. At this point last year, only one homicide was in the books, Renaud noted.
With files from CTV Montreal's Matt Gilmour.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Deadly six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 sparked by road rage incident
One person was killed in a six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 in Innisfil Friday evening.
First court appearance for boy and girl charged in death of Halifax 16-year-old
A girl and a boy, both 14 years old, made their first appearance today in a Halifax courtroom, where they each face a second-degree murder charge in the stabbing death of a 16-year-old high school student.
Invasive and toxic hammerhead worms make themselves at home in Ontario
Ontario is now home to an invasive and toxic worm species that can grow up to three feet long and can be dangerous to small animals and pets.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Haida elder suing Catholic Church and priest, hopes for 'healing and reconciliation'
The lawyer for a residential school survivor leading a proposed class-action defamation lawsuit against the Catholic Church over residential schools says the court action is a last resort.
Opinion I just don't get Taylor Swift
It's one thing to say you like Taylor Swift and her music, but don't blame CNN's AJ Willingham's when she says she just 'doesn't get' the global phenomenon.
Yemen's Houthi rebels claim downing U.S. Reaper drone, release footage showing wreckage of aircraft
Yemen's Houthi rebels on Saturday claimed shooting down another of the U.S. military's MQ-9 Reaper drones, airing footage of parts that corresponded to known pieces of the unmanned aircraft.