Man gunned down in Stoney Creek tied to organized crime, sources say

A man who was shot multiple times at his home in Stoney Creek over the weekend has ties to organized crime, multiple sources have confirmed to CBC News.

This shooting is the latest in a string of violence exploding in the Hamilton area in recent years, where people with links to the mob have been attacked.

Police have not revealed the victim's identity, but sources say he is 43-year-old Jason Lalonde.

"I've heard many people were looking for him," one source said.

Police say a 43-year-old man answered the door at 34 Marina Point Crescent around 12:30 a.m. Sunday. That's when he was shot "several times" by an unknown suspect, police say.

He was rushed to hospital and is now recovering after surgery and is in stable condition, police say.

Det-Sgt. Peter Thom told CBC News Sunday that the attack was "very targeted and specific."

Police believe that's the case because the shooter showed up at the man's door, and because of the "volume of rounds that were fired," Thom said.

"There's likely some history there," he said.

Thom wouldn't say if the victim was known to police, or talk about his background. Several people saw the shooting, Thom said, but he would not comment on their relationship with the victim.

When reached on Monday, Thom said police are still in the process of conductinginterviews about the incident.

A black "SUV type vehicle" was seen leaving the area right after the shooting, according to police.

"Investigators are interested in identifying this vehicle and speaking to the driver to determine if it was involved," a police news release reads.

There have been several similar targeted shootings in Hamilton in recent years where a person has been gunned down right outside their home. In many cases, those incidents have included some link to organized crime, though Thom would not comment on any such connection Sunday morning.

Those shootings include the deaths of noted mobster Angelo Musitano, as well as Al Iavarone and Cece Luppino.

Musitano's brother, Pat, was also gunned down outside his lawyer's office back in April. He survived, and was later released from hospital.

Experts and investigators say some sort of underworld turmoil is boiling over in Hamilton and other areas of the GTA, as different organized crime factions vie for position, and old scores are seemingly settled.

Many believe the death of the former head of the Montreal Mafia, Vito Rizzuto, seems to have opened the door for the violence happening in Ontario.

adam.carter@cbc.ca