Suspect in fatal Ahuntsic-Cartierville shooting arraigned on first-degree murder charge

CTV Montreal: Shooting suspect The suspect in a shooting in Ahuntsic-Cartierville is in court.

A suspect in connection with yesterday's fatal daylight shooting in Ahuntsic-Cartierville appeared in court and was arraigned on first-degree murder charges Friday afternoon.

Youness Aithaqui be held in custody until his next court date on September 22.

The judge ordered him not to contact his spouse.

The 45-year-old victim, Joseph Sarikakis, had a lengthy criminal record, including weapons charges and charges for uttering threats and assault causing bodily harm.

The suspect, 27-year-old Youness Aithaqi, was arrested by a SWAT team Thursday evening along with another man in his 20s, who was later released.

Aithaqi is known to Montreal police and has a lengthy criminal record that includes bribery, extortion and weapons charges.

Sarikakis was fatally shot in the chest while sitting in his car Thursday morning on Maurice Lebel St., a residential road near Acadie Blvd.

Sarikakis was rushed to hospital with critical injuries, to which he later succumbed.

Neighbours in the area said they heard multiple gunshots and had noticed a black car circulating in the area in the days leading up to the attack.

Police said that it's too early to say if the murder is connected to organized crime but it appears it could have been a settling of accounts.

It is the 11th homicide in Montreal so far this year.