Francesco Del Balso, a notorious mafioso, whose head was put on the head for having ordered the attempted murder of Leonardo Rizzuto, fell under the bullets near a sports center, on a Monday afternoon, in front of witnesses.
Since the fall of Vito Rizzuto, we have seen that the Montreal mafia was going to change somewhat, and certainly not for the better. We began to feel the first changes when Salvatore Scoppa, a Calabrian, was taken down, in May 2019, at the Sheraton in Laval, during the first communion of one of his children. The shooter empties two magazines on his target, among others in the head, and this, in front of his children. Unheard of in Montreal!
Since then, shootings sponsored by mobsters no longer differ from those of street gangs. Moreover, many are executed by gang members or henchmen of the Hells Angels who are not in the lace either.
Gone are the days of silencers and discreet eliminations, far from public scrutiny. Now shooters do it any time of day, anywhere. Shootings while driving or on foot. No difference with street gangs.
One more tick
The stampede does not stop at these shootings in full view of all. It takes another step with the assassination, on May 16, of Claudia Iacono, a member of the Gallo family, and a priori, in no way involved in the business. It would seem that she would have been targeted in order to send a message to Calabrians following the attempted murder of Leonardo Rizzuto perpetrated on May 15, the day before Iacono’s assassination.
If it turns out that she really served as an example, then the Sicilian clan has fallen very low. Vito Rizzuto must be turning in his grave, because he would never have agreed to derogate from this rule: women and children are not touched, especially if they are not involved in business.
My question… What’s next? The children?
Far from honor!
Contrary to what Coppola’s film, The Godfather, may have led you to believe, the famous so-called code of honor is not always respected. In Italy, the mafia does not necessarily spare women and children.
Whether collateral victims or chosen targets, the Italian media report children and women killed in cold blood to punish fathers, out of revenge, to get a message across or to get rid of an embarrassing witness. Admittedly, children may not constitute the highest rate of homicides committed by mafia clans in Italy, but one victim is already one too many. Don’t you believe?
Let’s push the analysis a notch. After women and children, will they attack politicians, judges and police? In Italy, several judges or anti-mafia politicians cannot work without the protection of bodyguards.
The future will tell !