An undercover officer from the Quebec provincial police was inside a Starbucks in Laval, Quebec, trailing an organized crime figure who was fatally shot there on Wednesday, as reported by Radio-Canada. The victim, known as “Bobby the Greek” or Charalambos Theologou, was shot unexpectedly in a swift attack that caught all surveillance teams off guard.
The individuals wounded in the shooting were associated with Theologou’s gang, the Chomedey Greeks. A surveillance team consisting of at least five vehicles, including an operations supervisor, was deployed to monitor Theologou’s movements on the ground. Around 10 police officers were observing the gang leader, who had been under surveillance since leaving his residence that morning.
Although the Sûreté du Québec has not confirmed the details due to an ongoing investigation, footage from the Starbucks surveillance cameras revealed that the entire incident transpired in a mere 15 seconds. Two suspects entered the café swiftly, fired at their target and two companions, and quickly fled the scene.
According to sources, the suspects may have used modified Glock 18-type handguns as automatic weapons with high-capacity magazines. External camera footage from Starbucks indicated that the suspects arrived approximately 10 minutes before Theologou. Sources suggest that the attackers may have had assistance in coordinating the attack, indicating a meticulously planned hit.
Additionally, a third suspect, believed to have been involved in scouting the area, was encountered by the police. Theologou had been a key figure in numerous extortion cases in Laval, targeting various establishments. He was known to facilitate criminal activities for different groups, primarily through mobile apps, and was involved in organizing contracts and payments for criminal acts.
The suspects’ vehicle used in the escape was discovered burned in the Rivière-des-Prairies neighborhood in Montreal shortly after the shooting. Laval Police Chief Pierre Brochet mentioned in an interview on Radio-Canada that the murder investigation was progressing positively.
