Rocco Sollecito, reputed high-ranking Montreal Mafia member, killed in Laval

Rocco Sollecito, a reputedhigh-ranking member of theRizzuto crime family, has been killed in a daytime shooting in Laval, sources tell Radio-Canada, signalling another blow to one of Canada's most powerful Mafia families.

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Police said hewas shot on Friday morningwhile driving a white BMW SUV in the city north of Montreal.

Laval police wouldn't confirm the name of the victim, saying only it was anorganized crime-related homicide.

"It's not complicated. It's a mob hit," said Laval police spokesman Franco Di Genova.

Reputed high-ranking Montreal Mafia member killed in Laval

8 years ago

Duration 1:38

Rocco Sollecito, linked to Rizzuto crime family, shot in SUV, pronounced dead at hospital

Sollecito, 67,was shot in his car and pronounced dead at the hospital.

Provincial police,SretduQubec,is investigating the homicide.

Sollecito is considered to be "active"in the Rizzuto crime family, according to a formerinvestigator with the provincial policeforce.

"What happened today demonstrates that," said Sylvain Tremblay, who is also anexpert on organized crime.

Sollecitowasnamed in theCharbonneaucommission aftersurveillance footage from 2004showed him receiving money from construction tycoonNicoloMilioto.

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He was later arrested as part of the RCMP's Operation Colise and imprisoned in 2006.

Sollecito's son, Stefano, is alleged to be the head of the Montreal Mafia along with the late Vito Rizzuto's son, Leonardo.

Witness say shooter was in bus shelter

Police received a 911 call at 8:30 a.m.about shots fired atSaint-ElzarBoulevard West nearChomedyBoulevard, around the corner from Laval police headquarters.

Witnesses who live in the area, which is mostly made up ofnewly built condos, said they heard the gunshots.

One woman said she saw a man, now known to be Sollecito, slumped over in the front seat of the white BMW SUV with a gunshot wound to the side of his head.

Other witnesses said the shooter was in a bus shelter next to the SUV.

Provincial police have not confirmed Sollecito was the victim nor given information on the suspect.

The decline of an empire

Sollecito's shooting comes threemonths afterLorenzo (Skunk) Giordano,identified as a lieutenant in the Montreal Mafia,waskilled in a parking lot in theChomedeyarea ofLaval.

The Rizzuto crime family, which has long beenconsidered one of the most powerful in Canada,has been in an extended period of upheaval.

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Leonardo Rizzutoand Stefano Sollecitowere arrested in organized crime raidsin November. They are both facing charges of committingan offence for a criminal organization and drug trafficking.

Leonardo's father, Vito Rizzuto, longtimepatriarch of theMontreal Mafia,died of natural causes in 2013. His brother Nick Jr. and grandfather Nicolo wereshot dead in separate incidents in 2010.