Montreal Rizzuto clan alleged targets of shooting outside jail

Members of the alleged Rizzuto organized crime family were reportedly targeted by gunfire near the outdoor courtyard at the Rivière-des-Prairies detention centre on Saturday.

Montreal police have confirmed gunshots were fired around 2 p.m.

Officers then searched a wooded area near the jail and recovered an AR-15 rifle, shell casings and photos of Leonardo Rizzuto, the alleged head of the Montreal mafia.

“The Sureté du Québec were involved to get more information to see if it was linked to any people that were inside the building,” said Jean-Pierre Brabant, a spokesperson for the SPVM.

Brabant says investigations are still ongoing and no arrests have been made so far.

The alleged targets of the shooting were moved from Rivière-des-Prairies to Montreal’s Bordeaux prison the following day, where Leonardo Rizzuto is currently detained.

“About 10 inmates were outside when the shots were heard,” Quebec’s Ministry of Public Security told CityNews in a statement. “No staff members at the Rivière-des-Prairies detention centre and no inmates were injured during this incident.

“Measures have been taken to ensure the safety of inmates and staff, as well as to provide relevant information and support to those directly or indirectly affected by the incident.”

Shortly afterward, police say they found a burned vehicle about two kilometres from the prison. Investigators are still determining whether it’s linked to the shooting.

Brabant says the motive for the shooting remains unclear, but adds nothing is ruled out, including the possibility that the event was staged by the Rizzutos themselves.

“At this moment, every hypothesis is on the table,” he said.

Leonardo Rizzuto, currently undergoing preliminary court proceedings following his arrest, appeared in court Tuesday.

Legal experts say Saturday’s alleged shooting won’t impact proceedings going forward.

“The fact that somebody may have taken a shot at somebody else doesn’t really impact on this particular situation,” said criminal defence lawyer Steven Slimovitch.

But an event like this could raise questions for jury selection down the line, Slimovitch suggests, specifically whether potential jurors formed an opinion after hearing about the alleged shooting.

“They watch the news,” he said. “But the important thing is, are they able to decide this case based on the evidence they hear, as opposed to what they may have read, what they may have heard.”