Laval police arrest alleged gang member following May 9 drive-by shooting

Addressing gang violence in Laval Laval's deputy police chief Jean François Rousselle discusses how modern gangs operate and how the police are responding.

Laval police say they have made an "important" arrest of an alleged gang member in connection with an attempted murder last spring that investigators believe had ties to an inter-gang conflict.

The May 9 drive-by shooting on Dumouchel Street, in the city's Chomedy district, shocked residents after shots rang out in broad daylight. Officers did not locate any victims after the shooting that happened around 2:20 p.m., but found shell casings near the scene.

Police said Wednesday that Jemsley Olivier Printemps Sanon, 25, was arrested on charges of attempted murder, discharge of a firearm with intent and possession of a restricted firearm. He was arrested while already in jail on unrelated charges from Montreal.

The accused is linked to the Flamehead Boys street gang in Laval, police allege.

"It's a street gang that is operating in Laval and is in conflict with another street gang — Chomedy 45 — so it's important for us to tell the people that [the arrest] will have an impact on those street gangs," said Laval's deputy police chief, Jean François Rousselle, in an interview Wednesday.

"They are shooting at each other for all kinds of matters. Maybe it's about to gain any territory but sometimes it's because there's a conflict about a girlfriend."

POLICE SENDING A 'BOLD' MESSAGE

Rouselle said the gangs are involved in all kinds of crimes, including prostitution, theft, and drug trafficking, which helps fund the purchase of guns.

He said the arrest hopefully sends a "bold" message to criminals. "We are there, we will investigate, and obviously we will arrest you as well when we have all the means to do it."

Officers have had to adapt their investigative efforts and spend part of their time monitoring the social media activity of suspected gang members, he added. "It's a new phenomenon."

Laval police said they could not officially link Wednesday's arrest to other drive-by shootings around the same time as the May 9 shooting.

On May 8, a 28-year-old man was killed and his 14-year-old nephew was seriously injured while the car they were travelling in was shot up as they left a family party at the Paragon reception hall on Curé-Labelle Boulevard. Junior Lemoyne Printemps died in the gunfire that also injured his teen nephew, Sandrick Jorcelin, who was visiting family from the Boston area that weekend.

Police did not confirm or deny media reports that claimed Printemps has a family connection to the suspect who was arrested Wednesday, as they share the same last name.

On May 10, a 33-year-old man was shot dead in broad daylight on Beauregard Street near Normandin Street in the Chomedey district of the city.

Anyone who has information about the May 9 shooting or other recent gun crimes is asked to call Laval police on the confidential Info-Police Line at 450-662-INFO (4636) or dial 911.