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The brazen midday assassination of a prominent Montreal underworld figure inside a peripheral Starbucks recently could signal a new, more chaotic and aggressive environment when it comes to organised crime, analysts report.

Leadership Void Appearing

The apprehensions of suspected high-ranking, veteran members of the city's organized crime in June has likely resulted in a void – meaning upcoming, younger gangs are striving to gain a foothold.

Violent Attack Information

Authorities stated at a news conference that they were called to a Starbucks in the Montreal suburb at about mid-morning on Wednesday because of reports of a gunfire inside the coffee shop. One man was killed and two others were hurt.

Deceased Individual

While authorities have not confirmed the deceased's identity, various news organizations have reported the man fatally shot was a convicted illegal substance distributor, 40, also known by an street name. The individual was the leader of a gang operating in the area.

Authority Comments

The government representative stated: "Available information suggests it being an incident connected with organised crime."

The law enforcement leader informed journalists that while he could not speak specifically on the case, he knows the man killed due to his "reputation". "He is linked to organised crime," he said.

Criminal History

The deceased was first connected formally to criminal activity in fifteen years ago when law enforcement in Montreal detained him and multiple associates in a drug trafficking operation. He ultimately confessing on drug-related charges and was given to two years in prison.

According to reports, the person was arrested for a later instance in over a decade ago, again for drug trafficking, and was afterwards sentenced to another half-decade in prison.

Professional Assessment

A criminology professor said that organised crime in the area used to be defined around maintaining control over visible conflicts and relied on a defined chain of command.

An audacious midday assassination at a popular café suggests there may not be a major player maintaining control – as aggression could affect activities when it comes to narcotics distribution, commented the expert.

Structural Collapse

The professor said it is plausible that the faction which targeted the underworld figure simply "did not care" about the open demonstration of force in order to neutralize their quarry.

But the expert thinks more probable is there has been a erosion of hierarchy and control within underworld activities in Montreal, related to major apprehensions of the alleged leaders of local criminal networks made in June.

Major Apprehensions

After a three-year probe, law enforcement detained an alleged criminal organization head and indicted him with killing and other associated crimes.

Current Situation

The recent detentions were viewed as the final "final straw" for the long-standing underworld hierarchy, commented the specialist.

It has left a hole that younger criminal groups are attempting to fill. The Wednesday's violence is an sign of an volatile, changing landscape, he said.

"We're seeing kind of this multitude of minor, not extremely coordinated gangs ... that are vying for dominance," he said.