Man fatally shot inside Laval restaurant; police draw links to organized crime

Man shot in Laval, Que. restaurant There was confusion and panic as shots rang out at a Laval, Que restaurant Wednesday night

Police say they have reason to believe a fatal shooting inside a Laval restaurant Wednesday evening was linked to organized crime.

Laval police (SPL) received numerous 911 calls at 7:25 p.m. about gunfire inside the La Perle restaurant on des Laurentides Boulevard in Laval's Vimont district.

"We heard a noise. We thought maybe some dishes fell on the ground or an explosion in the kitchen. The came from the side where the kitchen is. People started to panic and yell and two men started to leave, who were also at the table with the person who was shot," a witness told CTV News.

When officers arrived, they found a 42-year-old man with at least one gunshot wound.

He was transported to hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The man, identified by the Sûreté du Québec (SQ) as Bernard Cherfan, 42, was known to have links to organized crime.

By Thursday morning, the SQ was still unable to provide a physical description of the suspect, nor say if he fled on foot or in a vehicle.

Investigators and forensic technicians are canvassing the restaurant parking lot and checking surveillance cameras in order to determine the events leading to the gunfire.

Police have also set up two command posts in order to gather information about the shooting.