Montreal police are investigating the shooting deaths of two men within the span of about an hour in neighbouring boroughs.
Const. Caroline Chèvrefils said investigators are looking at a possible link between the two homicides, which occurred Tuesday night, but could not provide more details. No arrests have been made.
“It’s very likely these two events are linked but we cannot confirm it yet as the investigation is still ongoing,” she said in an update late Wednesday morning.
A first victim, 64, was known to police and was declared dead at the scene at an intersection near a park the city’s St-Laurent borough around 9:45 p.m.
A second victim, 48, wasn’t known to police and was killed a few kilometres northeast of the first shooting, at an intersection in the city’s Ahuntsic-Cartierville borough around 10:50 p.m.
Investigators and crime scene technicians are combing the two scenes Wednesday.
The shooting deaths are the 16th and 17th homicides reported on Montreal police territory in 2022. One of the victims is the father of boxer David Lemieux, according to media reports.
Police Chief Inspector Marie-Claude Dandenault said investigators are looking at “all possible motives.”
Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante took to social media to say police will spare no effort in their investigation and she fully supports the department.
“My heart goes out to the family and loved ones of the two victims of the heinous crimes that took place last night in Montreal,” she wrote in a tweet Wednesday afternoon. “I understand the concerns of citizens following these events.”
— with files from Global News’ Kalina Laframboise and Phil Carpenter