Montreal police arrested three young men armed with Glock pistols and high-capacity magazines Wednesday night. The trio is part of a street gang in Saint-Léonard, an area where tensions between criminal groups have caused several events involving firearms in recent months.
Adam Mrabti Fassi, nicknamed “Kaybi”, is charged with possession of a firearm and breach of conditions. He was forbidden to possess a weapon at the time of his arrest. The 19-year-old had in his possession a Glock pistol and a high-capacity magazine.
Ilyasse El Alaoui Benchad, 18, aka “Bobby”, is also facing charges related to possession of prohibited and restricted devices.
His brother Soulymane El Alaoui Benchad, a 19-year-old known as “Freeze”, is charged with breach of conditions.
The three young men barely out of adolescence had been hiding in the northeast of the island for several days already. All were already well known to the police.
“Freeze”, “Kaybi”, and “Bobby” are part of a criminal clique called Everybody Gets Killed (EGK). The Saint-Léonard-based trio is connected to Khaled Mouloudj, alias Kash. The latter, a member of EGK, had lost his life on March 19 in a drive by shooting.
According to our criminal sources, it is not excluded that the three young people were preparing a response in addition to hiding from their opponents. “Kash’s murder, it left them in shock. They did not retaliate immediately, but they were expected, “said a young bandit revolving around the conflict between Anjou and Saint-Léonard. He requested anonymity to avoid reprisals.
It is a rap music video broadcast two days before the murder of the young Mouloudj who would have set fire to the powder within the gangs of Saint-Léonard and Anjou, two enemy sectors.
Several comments from Internet users inciting violence were released shortly after the broadcast of this provocative music video where several members of EGK appear hooded. “Left side mandown next one Freeze,” it currently reads. In this last comment, we directly refer to the murder of Khaled Mouloudj (mandown), in addition to indicating that “Freeze” will be next. This is the nickname of one of the brothers arrested on Wednesday.
The three defendants are due to appear this afternoon.
The Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) also arrested a 16-year-old teenager on Thursday morning. He is suspected of having participated in two consecutive events where a firearm was pointed at high school students on March 29, in the borough of Anjou, the police force explained in a press release.
The event caused a stir. A gray SUV had approached a teenager waiting for the bus in Anjou and the occupant allegedly brandished a firearm in the direction of the young person, without discharging it. A few minutes later, a similar event occurred near a high school in the same borough, while several students were also waiting for the bus.
The suspect located in the borough of Rivière-des-Prairies–Pointe-aux-Trembles will appear before the Youth Division shortly. “Due to his age, his identity cannot be disclosed,” said the SPVM.
A search is also underway. Pistol ammunition and spare parts have been found so far. The investigation is continuing as there may be other suspects.
