Montreal | Firearms discharges up since the start of the year

Ninety-five incidents involving gunshots occurred in Montreal during the first six months of this year, compared to 82 for the same period in 2021, an increase of approximately 15%.

Daniel Renaud
The Press

This is indicated by preliminary statistics provided to The Press by the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM).

Ninety-five shooting events in six months represents a rate of one event every two days.

The number of shooting events was high in January (20) before falling in February and March and then increasing again in the following months.

These figures reflect a trend observed by the SPVM and by other police organizations or in authority, in particular the National Support Team for the Application of firearms law (ENSALA) headed by the RCMP, whose investigator has been compiling statistics since the end of 2019.

During the first six months of 2020, 55 shooting events were recorded in Montreal, and 29 in 2019. This means that the curve has been rising steadily for two and a half years.

Since the start of 2022, there have been seven gun murders in Montreal, compared to four in the first six months of last year and three for 2020.

At least three of the shooting murders committed since the start of 2022 are linked to organized crime: those of Domenico Macri, in February, Stéphane Dupuis, in April, and Sébastien Giroux, in May.

There are also slightly more attempted murders and shots fired than at the same time last year.

Situation “relatively stable”, says the SPVM

“There is not really an explanation, but if we take each of the categories, murders, attempted murders and firearm discharges, we are within a few events, so the curve is relatively stable”, says Francis Renaud, commander of the SPVM’s Organized Crime Division.

The latter, however, believes that the increase this year is partly attributable to an increase in the number of settling of accounts within organized crime in Montreal.

The commander is unable to say whether there have been more or fewer shooting incidents involving street gangs since the beginning of the year.

Fewer firearms seized

Another statistic: 192 firearms were seized by SPVM police officers during the first six months of the year, compared to 299 for the same period in 2021, a decrease of more than 100 weapons (- 35%).

Over the previous two years, SPVM police had also seized a lot of firearms during the first six months of the year: 324 in 2020 and 280 in 2019.

How does Commander Renaud explain this significant drop in seizures since the beginning of this year?

“I dare to hope that our efforts bear fruit, it is the only explanation that I can put forward. Is this the end of the famous feeling of impunity and invincibility, that anyone could walk around with a gun in their pockets without any consequences, with all the media coverage, prevention and repression which were made? Our teams are present on the ground every day and are always better by fighting against armed violence,” replies Mr. Renaud.

The latter describes “a comeback” of the Organized Crime Division of the SPVM in terms of consistency and investigation against armed violence and organized crime.

It highlights the efforts made by the Anti-Gang and Proceeds of Crime sections, the Multisectoral Firearms Teams (EMAF), the narcotics sections and the Eclipse squad, which specializes in intelligence gathering and surveillance of licensed establishments. .

“I really believe that the efforts that our teams make day after day means that we have fewer guns on the streets. There are still some, but as long as there are, we will be there,” concludes the SPVM officer.

With the collaboration of Mayssa Ferah, The Press

To reach Daniel Renaud, dial 514 285-7000, ext. 4918, write to [email protected] or write to the postal address of The Press.