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Posted on May 13, 2019 at 05h00 | Updated at 6:16 am

Murder of a Mafioso in Laval: "It's gone too far," says the police

Unacceptable and intolerable. The police chief of Laval, Pierre Brochet, does not want any more to see, in public places of the Ile Jésus, scenes like that which occurred a week ago in the lobby of the hotel Sheraton, where the mafioso Salvatore Scoppa was shot and finished in front of stunned customers.

"Often, we say," It's organized crime, we understand that there are homicides. " But there, it went too far. Organized crime entered a public place where people had the right to be safe. There were hundreds of people. There were families on the premises. There were organized parties. Several shots were fired to commit a high-risk murder, "said Brochet in an interview with La Presse on Friday.

Just seven hours after the police chief's release, a 24-year-old man, Eric Francis De Souza, was shot in the head while he was sitting with friends at a Brossard restaurant. A second murder committed in a public place in less than a week. Again, a crime that bears the signature of organized crime, even though this assumption is still not confirmed by the police.

No excuse

"We often hear that things have changed, that the Italian mafia now entrusts murder warrants to other types of criminals, less organized [street gangs]. But I'm sorry, the mafia remains responsible for his actions. I make it accountable for what happened at the Sheraton and I thank God that nothing has happened to anyone more seriously, "said Mr. Brochet.

Five murders have been committed in Laval since the beginning of the year. Three are related to organized crime.

In the wake of the Sheraton events, the Laval police chief called his counterparts from the Sûreté du Québec (SQ) and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).

In collaboration with them, the Laval police launched the Repercussion project. For the past few days, patrolmen from Laval, including members of the Équinoxe squad - specialized in bar surveillance and intelligence gathering - have been visiting establishments that sell alcohol. They are accompanied by SQ organized crime officers and RCMP intelligence officers. The goal is to put pressure on organized crime.

"We can not allow organized crime to commit crimes like this in public and endanger the lives of families and children. The police, we are here to ensure the safety of citizens. When crimes such as this occur, it really comes to us and it is our duty to react. - Pierre Brochet, Chief of the Laval Police

In 2018, the SQ responded to a similar request from the Gatineau Police Service, which feared acts of violence on its territory, following several shootings in Ottawa.

"Violent crimes committed in public places are very worrying because you never know when an innocent person will be hurt or killed. In 2017, Martin Prud'homme made the fight against organized crime the operational priority at the Sûreté du Québec, and we will continue to support our partners in this fight, "says Chief Inspector Guy Lapointe, of the SQ.

Live and perish by the sword

Chief Inspector Lapointe reminds us that killers hired by organized crime no longer have loyalty and allegiance, and accept contracts from enemy clans. The lure of profit motivates them. According to our information, the contract on the head of Salvatore Scoppa would have been $ 300,000 to $ 500,000.

For the moment, the thesis that his assassination was ordered by the Sicilians, in agreement with other clans of the Montreal mafia, is still the most plausible, according to a police source.

"The code of honor is dead with Vito Rizzuto. Salvatore Scoppa lived by the sword and he perished by the sword, "summed up a policeman recalling that the mafia was involved in several murders and violent acts during his career.

"The way Scoppa was killed is a personal matter. The sponsor wanted to humiliate him and his family. - An individual from the criminal milieu

The family of Salvatore Scoppa has given up on exposing the remains and celebrating funerals. These tributes were to take place yesterday and today, in Little Italy, according to information that circulated at the end of last week in the criminal and police circles.

Some information wants the Scoppa family to make this decision because of the threats it would have received, but this has not been confirmed.

To contact Daniel Renaud, call 514 285-7000, ext. 4918, write to drenaud@lapresse.ca or write to La Presse's mailing address .

December 20, 2018

Sébastien Beauchamp ... (PHOTO ARCHIVES THE PRESS) - image 4.0
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Sébastien Beauchamp

PHOTO ARCHIVES THE PRESS

Sébastien Beauchamp, a relationship with the Hells Angels, was shot dead in the afternoon in the parking lot of a garage, at the corner of Langelier and Robert Boulevards, in the borough of Saint-Léonard. He tries to flee the killer who fires several shots in the busy intersection. At least one bullet hits a citizen's vehicle, without hurting her.

September 25, 2018

Sebastien Vena ... (PHOTO ARCHIVES THE PRESS) - image 5.0
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Sebastien Vena

PHOTO ARCHIVES THE PRESS

Around 8 pm, Sébastien Vena is hit by a projectile on Lévesque Boulevard in Laval. He takes refuge in a restaurant where his murderer finishes it under the eyes of witnesses.

August 16, 2017

Antonio de Blasio ... (PHOTO ARCHIVES THE PRESS) - image 6.0
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Antonio de Blasio

PHOTO ARCHIVES THE PRESS

Around 8:30 pm, Antonio de Blasio was killed in front of his son, in a park in the Saint-Leonard area where a football training session had just ended, in the presence of many young people and their parents.

June 2, 2016

Angelo D'Onofrio ... (PHOTO PRESENTED IN COURT, ARCHIVES THE PRESS) - image 7.0
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Angelo D'Onofrio

PHOTO PRESENTED IN COURT, ARCHIVES THE PRESS

An individual enters the Cafe Sinatra (former Hillside), rue Fleury, in the afternoon and kills an innocent client, Angelo D'Onofrio, confusing the latter with an established member of the Montreal mafia.

March 21, 2016

Yannick Larose ... (PHOTO FROM THE INTERPOL SITE, ARCHIVES THE PRESS) - image 8.0
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Yannick Larose

PHOTO FROM THE INTERPOL SITE, ARCHIVES THE PRESS

Yannick Larose, a former Hells Angels relationship, tries to flee his attacker and takes refuge in a shopping center in Terrebonne, where he is killed in front of several custo