LAVAL — Quebec’s public security minister says authorities believe organized crime was behind the shooting of three people near a Starbucks north of Montreal on Wednesday.
Ian Lafrenière said the shooting took place at around 10:30 a.m. at the commercial plaza in Laval, Que.
On social media, Lafrenière said “all indications” point to the shooting being tied to organized crime.
“This is very concerning,” he wrote on Facebook. “I am following the situation closely with my colleagues, while a major police deployment is underway.”
He told reporters in Quebec City that there were no “innocent” victims, according to the information he’d received at the time.
Quebec provincial police, who have taken over the investigation from Laval police, said three people were injured but did not say how badly.
During a news conference, provincial police said the shooting could be tied to organized crime but wouldn’t confirm.
Spokesperson Laurie Avoine told reporters on the scene that the victims were “possibly” connected to each other.
There were no arrests as of early Wednesday afternoon.
Police have set up a security perimeter in the area of the shooting, which occurred at a commercial plaza near a busy highway.
Several ambulances were on site as of 1:45 p.m., and officers could be seen speaking with witnesses in a nearby restaurant.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 1, 2025.
The Canadian Press
