Montreal radio personalities held a charity event Saturday to raise money for the funeral of Fredy Villanueva, the 18-year-old whose fatal shooting by police sparked violent protests.
Organizers hoped to raise $10,000 during the radiothon, with any extra money going toward a scholarship program for youth in the Montreal North community.
"To see all the people from the neighbourhood getting together and being able to organize this, it has been amazing," said Victor Henriquez, a spokesperson for the Villanueva family and one of the event's organizers.
Radio hosts and community members met at La Fourchette de L'Espoir, an organization housed just a block away from where Villanueva died on Aug. 9.
"It's a small family around here, everybody knows everybody," said Montreal North resident John Duguay. "When something happens to somebody, everybody gets together."
The Villanueva family did not attend the event. But many people in their community did, and their presence showed the ethnic diversity of the neighbourhood.
"Right around the table I had people from Germany, Venezuela, Peru, Mali, Senegal," said resident Luck Mervil.
"I was born in Haiti so the world is right around this table. This is the reality of Quebec, this is the reality of the world right now."
Villanueva was hanging out with his brother and friends in a park when the group was approached by police officers.
Police claim they were surrounded by a group of about 10 teenagers and that many of them rushed the officers. Shot were fired and Villanueva was struck by three bullets, two of them hitting vital organs in his rib cage and abdomen.
The incident is now being investigated by the Quebec provincial police.
Riots followed Villanueva's death, with some accusing police of racial profiling. Montreal Police Chief Yves Delorme said all officers take a one-day course on racial sensitivity and are screened for any racial biases.
With a report by CTV Montreal's Daniele Hamamdjian
