Laval police address surge in gun-related violence among youth
Posted May 29, 2025 9:52 am.
Laval Police (SPL) is taking stock of their efforts to combat the surge in gun-related violence, particularly among youth.
In recent months, the SPL noted the involvement of increasingly younger individuals in firearm-related incidents. For the first quarter of 2025, they found that 41 per cent of urban violence cases involved minors aged 14 to 17.
“In recent years, our Police Service has made combating urban gun-related violence a priority, in response to a marked increase in incidents in Laval,” said Karine Ménard, Deputy Director in charge of the Criminal Investigations Division.
“This phenomenon is evolving and remains unpredictable, that’s a fact,” she added. “Nevertheless, we firmly believe that our approach, focused on information gathering, monitoring, increased presence on the ground, and prevention, is the right strategy.”
“The backdrop to firearm-related incidents in the region is, in the vast majority of cases, conflicts between criminal groups,” the SPL said in a news release on Thursday.
Between January 1, 2024, and March 31, 2025, 20 per cent of those arrested or suspected in real firearms cases were minors, they added.
Despite these challenges, Laval police efforts have yielded significant results.
In 2024 alone, officers seized 40 firearms and made 20 arrests related to gun violence.
While the year also saw 25 firearm discharge incidents, the SPL reports a decrease so far in 2025.
As of March 31, only four such incidents had been recorded, compared to six during the same period last year.
“The mobilization of the SPL teams has had a considerable impact on the ground,” they said in the news release. “Particularly in terms of arrests related to incidents involving firearms and weapons seizures.”
Police Presence and Targeted Operations
In light of these findings, the SPL reaffirms that its police officers will be present on the ground this summer and will continue to focus on coordinated mobilization to counter the phenomenon of urban violence.
Prevention initiatives, park safety watch, and monitoring of criminalized individuals will also continue, they said “particularly through verification and compliance with release conditions.”
Maintaining partnerships with youth centers and the DPJ will help allow the SPL have a close monitoring of youth who may be involved in certain violent incidents in the area, they explained.
“Citizens can also contribute to this fight by reporting incidents they witnessed or experienced,” the SPL said.
Anyone with information about an incident or investigation related to urban gun violence can contact the Info-Police Hotline confidentially at 450 662-INFO (4636) or call 911.
