A prominent Quebec gang leader was killed in a daylight shooting at a Starbucks in Laval, a suburb of Montreal, on Wednesday, raising concerns among experts about a shift towards more brazen tactics in organised crime. The victim has been named by Canadian media as Charalambos Theologou, 40, also known as “Bobby the Greek”, who led the Chomedey Greeks gang.
Police were called to the coffee shop at around 10.30am following reports of a shooting. One man was killed and two others injured. Quebec’s public security minister, Ian Lafrenière, said: “Everything points to it being an act linked to organised crime.” Laval police chief Pierre Brochet confirmed the victim’s reputation as a known criminal figure.
Theologou had a lengthy criminal record, including drug trafficking convictions in 2005 and 2009, which resulted in prison sentences. Surveillance footage obtained by Radio-Canada shows two men entering the Starbucks and quickly exiting after the shooting.
Observers suggest that the killing may be linked to a power vacuum following the arrest of alleged mafia boss Leonardo Rizzuto in June. Valentin Pereda, an assistant professor at the University of Montreal’s criminology school, said the brazen public attack indicates a loss of control within organised crime, as younger street gangs compete for influence in the absence of the older mafia leadership.
