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
Infant dies in ATV crash, N.S. RCMP says alcohol may be a factor
An infant has died and three others, including another child, were taken to hospital following an ATV crash in Forties, N.S., on Monday.
'Do not drive': Nissan warns Canadian drivers of explosion risk impacting 48,000 vehicles
Car manufacturer Nissan has issued a do-not-drive warning for some older vehicles equipped with Takata airbag inflators, due to the risk of explosion during a crash.
WATCH LIVE Charges against world's top golfer Scottie Scheffler dropped after arrest outside PGA Championship
Criminal charges against Scottie Scheffler have been dismissed, ending a legal saga that began with images of the world’s top male golfer being arrested and handcuffed in Louisville during the PGA Championship.
Canadians are eyeing moves to these cities for more affordable housing
Faced with elevated housing prices, half of Canadians in the country's largest cities are considering moving to places with more affordable housing.
'Scandals and secrets': On board the world's most exclusive private residential ship
It’s a floating city exclusively home to the 1 per cent, a playground for multimillionaires and billionaires that circumnavigates the world's oceans.
How Trump's hush money trial verdict could affect the 2024 election
Here is how three potential outcomes from the jury room ─ a guilty verdict, an acquittal or a hung jury ─ could affect the presidential campaign.
Tessa Virtue reveals she's expecting her first child. Here's what Canadians had to say
Canadian figure-skating icon Tessa Virtue is expecting her first child, she revealed via social media Tuesday.
An Iceland volcano starts erupting again, spewing lava into the sky
A volcano in southwestern Iceland erupted Wednesday for the fifth time since December, spewing red streams of lava in the latest display of nature’s power and triggering the evacuation of the popular Blue Lagoon geothermal spa.
'Are you driving?' U.S. man with suspended licence shows up on court Zoom call while behind the wheel
A Michigan man with a suspended driver's licence didn't appear to have thought through a recent court appearance made on video, joining the Zoom call while driving.