‘Surprised and disappointed’: Teen found dead near Hells Angels club in Quebec’s Beauce region amidst drug war

Citing unnamed sources, several media outlets have reported that a 14-year-old boy was found dead near a Hells Angels club in Frampton, a municipality in Quebec’s Beauce region on Monday, Sept. 16.

According to reports, the teenager, travelled from Montreal with an AK-47-style assault rifle with another minor – as members of a street gang – to attack the club amidst a drug war. 

“If that’s the case, the Hells against baby gangs or street gangs,” said Pietro Poletti, retired Montreal police detective. “We got a serious problem.”

“I was extremely surprised and disappointed to see that we are currently managing to convince young people of such young ages to collaborate in this type of crime,” said Roger Ferland, retired investigator from the Quebec City Police Service.

“It’s maybe not common in our society in Quebec and in Canadian society,” added Poletti. “But if we look at the United States, the Latino gangs, or if you look at in Europe, especially one group, the Camorra in Italy, where they recruit young adolescents, you know, at the age of 12.”

“So we might see this coming to Canada,” he said.

Comme beaucoup de Québécois, ce que j’entends en provenance de Frampton me choque. Il est immonde pour des gangs de rue d’enrôler ainsi des jeunes, des enfants, pour faire le sale boulot.

Je suis rassuré de savoir la SQ bien présente à Frampton pour les prochains jours. Notre… https://t.co/J8mQssw7Bg

— François Bonnardel (@fbonnardelCAQ) September 19, 2024

Quebec Minister of Public Security François Bonnardel has stated on social media that he is shocked and disgusted that street gangs would enlist children to do their dirty work. Bonnardel added that the Quebec Provincial Police will be in Frampton to investigate this case as well as ensuring public safety in Eastern Quebec. 

“There will be work to be done by the police at the level of heads of the leaders,” said Ferland. “But there is also work to be done, on the ground, at the level of parents, families, schools, to reach out to these young people.”

“Once a 14-year-old is holding an AK-47, there’s not much prevention you could do,” said Poletti. “Prevention, maybe we could do it in elementary schools, high schools.”

“What we need to do is repression,” he added. “Arrest people and go after them.” 

In addition to increased surveillance in the area, the Sûreté du Québec set up a mobile command post in Frampton for anyone who would like to speak to an investigator.

“There’s a lot of assumptions,” said Poletti. “We’re assuming the Hells Angels committed that crime because the individual was found there.”

“But we don’t really know,” he added. “We have to wait until the investigation goes through, but one thing is for sure, it is a war going on between certain individuals that are apparent members of the Hells Angels and biker groups and street gangs.”