Montreal

16-year-old shot and killed in Montreal's Saint-Michel neighbourhood

First responders tried to revive the teen before he was pronounced dead at the scene, police say. 

31st homicide on Montreal police territory this year identified as Thomas Trudel

Police were called to the intersection of Villeray Street and 20th Avenue around 9 p.m. where they located the victim who was unconscious. He had been struck by gunfire in the upper body. (Stéphane Grégoire/Radio-Canada)

Montreal police are investigating after a 16-year-old boy was fatally shot in the Saint-Michel neighbourhood on Sunday night.

Const. Jean-Pierre Brabant, spokesperson for Montreal police, said witnesses saw the victim walking on the street before a man approached him. 

"There was a verbal exchange between the two," he said. "At a certain point, the suspect shot at least once toward the victim. He got shot to his upper body."

Police were called to the intersection of Villeray Street and 20th Avenue around 9 p.m., where they found the boy unconscious. He had been struck by gunfire in the upper body. The victim was not known to police.

The teenager who was shot and killed Sunday evening in Montreal's Saint-Michel neighbourhood has been identified as Thomas Trudel, 16. (Instagram)

He has been identified by Radio-Canada as Thomas Trudel.

First responders tried to revive Thomas before he was pronounced dead at the scene, police say. 

The death marks the 31st homicide on Montreal police territory this year, police say.

The investigation has been transferred to the major crimes unit and a perimeter has been set up around the area for the investigation. 

Police say they so far have no suspects, or any idea why Thomas was approached and killed.

They will be meeting with witnesses to shed light on the circumstances of the incident. Investigators will also be reviewing images from several surveillance cameras in the area.

'This is not normal'

Friends of Thomas's who spoke to Radio-Canada said the 16-year-old played hockey and was not involved in any criminal activity. 

Moncef Mejri, 18, didn't know Thomas, but lives in the building near where the shooting took place and said he was shocked by what happened.

"He's 16 years old. This is not normal," Mejri told CBC. "He's too young. When I was 16 years old, I just wanted to have fun. I just wanted to enjoy my life the best I could."

Just last month, another 16-year-old Montrealer was killed. On Oct. 18, Jannai Dopwell-Bailey was stabbed in the parking lot of Mile End high school in the city's Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce borough. 

Another minor has so far been charged with second-degree murder in connection with Jannai's death.

with files from Kwabena Oduro and Josh Grant