Police say one of three people shot at Montreal-area Starbucks has died

LAVAL — One of three people shot at a Montreal-area Starbucks on Wednesday morning has died.

Provincial police spokesperson Laurie Avoine says the man was in his 40s. She didn’t give other details about his identity.

Earlier in the day, Quebec’s public security minister says authorities believe organized crime was behind the shooting.

Ian Lafrenière said the shooting took place at around 10:30 a.m. at the commercial plaza in Laval, Que.

“This is very concerning,” he wrote on Facebook. “I am following the situation closely with my colleagues, while a major police deployment is underway.”

He told reporters in Quebec City that there were no “innocent” victims, according to the information he’d received at the time.

Quebec provincial police, who have taken over the investigation from Laval police, said the shooting could be tied to organized crime but wouldn’t confirm.

Avoine told reporters on the scene that the victims were “possibly” connected to each other.

There were no arrests as of early Wednesday afternoon.

Police have set up a security perimeter in the area of the shooting, which occurred at a commercial plaza near a busy highway.

Several ambulances were on site as of 1:45 p.m., and officers could be seen speaking with witnesses in a nearby restaurant.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 1, 2025.