"Surprised and disappointed": Teen discovered dead in the middle of a drug conflict in the Beauce area of Quebec, close to a Hells Angels club
“We’re assuming the Hells Angels committed that crime because the individual was found there,” Poletti said.
Several media outlets have reported that a 14-year-old boy was found dead near a Hells Angels club in Frampton, a municipality in Quebec's Beauce region, on Monday, Sept. 16.
Unnamed sources suggest that the teenager, along with another minor, traveled from Montreal armed with an AK-47-style assault rifle to attack the club as part of a drug-related conflict involving street gangs.
“If that’s the case, the Hells against baby gangs or street gangs,” said retired Montreal police detective Pietro Poletti. “We got a serious problem.”
Roger Ferland, a retired investigator from the Quebec City Police Service, expressed his dismay at the involvement of such young individuals in serious criminal activity.
“I was extremely surprised and disappointed to see that we are currently managing to convince young people of such young ages to collaborate in this type of crime,” Ferland said.
Ferland and Poletti warned that while this may seem rare in Canada, it mirrors troubling patterns seen in other parts of the world.
“If we look at the United States, the Latino gangs, or if you look in Europe, especially the Camorra in Italy, they recruit young adolescents, you know, at the age of 12,” Poletti added. “So we might see this coming to Canada.”
Quebec Minister of Public Security François Bonnardel expressed his shock and disgust at street gangs enlisting children for violent tasks.
He assured that the Quebec Provincial Police are investigating the case in Frampton and working to ensure public safety in Eastern Quebec.
“There will be work to be done by the police at the level of heads of the leaders,” Ferland emphasized.
“But there is also work to be done on the ground, at the level of parents, families, schools, to reach out to these young people.”
Poletti, however, suggested that by the time a 14-year-old is armed with an assault rifle, prevention may be too late.
“What we need to do is repression,” he said. “Arrest people and go after them.”
The Sûreté du Québec has set up a mobile command post in Frampton, inviting anyone with information to speak to investigators as they work to unravel the details of the incident.
While there is speculation that the Hells Angels are involved in the teenager’s death, Poletti cautioned against drawing conclusions too early, noting that the investigation is ongoing.
“We’re assuming the Hells Angels committed that crime because the individual was found there,” Poletti said.
“But we don’t really know. One thing is for sure, it is a war going on between certain individuals that are apparent members of the Hells Angels and biker groups and street gangs.”
