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
Canada's most wanted fugitive arrested in P.E.I. in connection with Toronto homicide
A suspect in a fatal shooting in Toronto’s east end last summer has been arrested in Charlottetown, just one week after he topped a list of Canada’s most wanted fugitives.
Plane overshoots runway at airport in St. John's, N.L., no injuries reported
Investigators from the Transportation Safety Board of Canada are headed to St. John's, N.L., after a plane overshot a runway at the city's airport this afternoon.
Concerns about plexiglass prompt inspections at some Loblaws locations in Ottawa
Inspections are underway at more than one Loblaws location in Ottawa after complaints were filed about tall plexiglass barriers.
BREAKING Federal employees will be required to spend 3 days a week in the office
Starting in September, public servants in the core public administration will be required to work in the office a minimum of three days a week. The Treasury Board Secretariat says executives will need to be in the office four days per week.
Poilievre unrepentant over calling Trudeau 'wacko' as his MPs say Speaker should resign
An unrepentant Pierre Poilievre returned to the House of Commons on Wednesday to pepper the prime minister about his drug decriminalization policies after being booted the day prior for refusing to take back calling Justin Trudeau 'wacko' over his approach to the issue.
Five human skeletons, missing hands and feet, found outside house of Nazi leader Hermann Göring
The remains belonged to three adults, a teenager and a newborn baby, according to a statement from the Latebra Foundation, a historical organization based in the Polish city of Gdansk, published Thursday.
Toddler of Phoenix first responder dies after bounce house goes airborne
A two-year-old child died after a strong gust of wind sent the bounce house he was in airborne and into a neighbouring lot in central Arizona, the Pinal County Sheriff's Office said.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh confirms his party will support the Liberals' federal budget
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says his party will support the federal budget, ending any speculation that the party could pull out of its deal with the minority Liberal government.
Dental care program accepting claims for 1 million seniors
Citizens' Services Minister Terry Beech says 1,200 seniors have already visited a dentist and had their claims processed by the federal government's new dental care plan.