Police asking for public’s help in Rizzuto shooting investigation

Quebec provincial Police are asking for the public’s help in their investigation into the attempted murder of a suspected organized crime leader on March 15 in Laval, north of Montreal.

Authorities never officially named the victim and continue to keep it confidential, but he is said to be Leonardo Rizzuto, son of the former godfather of the Montreal mafia, Vito Rizzuto.

“The attempted murder of the youngest son of the powerful Rizzuto clan was clearly a message, a strong message to the entire organization,” says Antonio Nicaso, a Queen’s University lecturer and expert on the Calabrian Mafia who has written over 40 books on organized crime.

Leonardo Rizzuto leaves a Montreal courthouse Thursday, Oct. 16, 2008. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes.

On Tuesday, the Sûreté du Québec set up a command post for the full day, not far from the place 53-year-old Rizzuto was eating at, just a few minutes before getting in his car and shots were fired at him.

The National Organized Crime Enforcement Squad (ENRCO) and the Sûreté du Québec (SQ) Major Crime Investigation Division are looking for relevant information regarding the vehicles involved in this attempted murder.

“We’re looking for anybody who could give us some information, either relating to this event or a possible suspects or people who may have witnessed this thing on March 15, around 4:30 p.m. on the highway,” says Sgt. Audrey-Anne Bilodeau  spokesperson for ENRCO. “Probably some dashcams or cell phone images that could help our investigators make an arrest in that case.”

#WATCH: "Looking for that one little piece of evidence that can make the difference," says retired SPVM inspector, Andre Durocher, on why Quebec provincial police are asking the public for information on the attempted murder of Leonardo Rizzuto.

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— CityNews Montreal (@CityNewsMTL) April 25, 2023

“Normally when you set up a command post like that is because you’re looking for that one little piece of evidence that can make the difference,” retired Montreal police officer, André Durocher, said.

Rizzuto was reportedly shot at around six times, from someone in a moving vehicle as he drove on Highway 440.

A black Porsche Macan is linked to the case. The investigation revealed that a second vehicle, a red Porsche Macan, may also have been involved in the attempted murder.

The driver of the Mercedes took exit 17 leading to Highway 13 southbound and drove to the parking lot of a funeral complex in the Sainte-Dorothée area. He survived the shooting.

“I know there’s not only one Porsche Macan out there, but there’s not millions out there either,” Durocher said. “Sometimes a little detail, like something that could have stood out on the car, any kind of thing that can help to close up the investigation.”

RELATED:

• Alleged Montreal mafia leader Leonardo Rizzuto shot in Laval
• SQ seeks witnesses to attempted murder on Highway 440 in Laval Wednesday

“In Canada, unfortunately, we do not have a good record of cases related to organized crime that haven’t been solved with the help of other people,” Nicaso said.

The SQ encourage anyone to come forward confidentially with any information by calling their Central Criminal Information at 1-800-659-4264.

In the meantime, it seems there hasn’t been any direct retaliation since the March 15 attempt and experts say revenge doesn’t have a statue of limitations.

“Vendettas have various forms, it can be immediately carried out or can take a long time,” said Nicaso.

“Over one month, that’s just a blip in the history of organized crime, so we we don’t know what’s coming up there,” said Durocher. “If the police eventually end up having some information from that, who knows what can happen in the next couple of days.|

– With files from The Canadian Press

Sûreté du Québec (SQ) command post set up in Laval on April 25, 2023. (Credit: Matt Tornabene, CityNews Image)