Spate of gun violence in Montreal area continues, as man in 20s shot and killed in Laval

Quebec provincial police have taken over the investigation into the death of a man who was shot and killed in Laval early Tuesday morning.

Police say that several people called 911 at around 2:30 a.m. because they heard gunshots.

Officers found aman in his late 20s near the corner ofSaint-Luc and Meunier Streets in the city's Laval-des-Rapides district,and he was confirmed dead at the scene.

Laval police transferred the investigation to the Sret du Quebec (SQ) because they say the shootingis believed to be connectedto organized crime.

In recent weeks, there have been several fatal shootings and reports of gunshots in and around Montreal, including a triple homicide in Montreal's Rivires-des-Prairies neighbourhoodearlier this month.

"Our investigation is beginning," said Sgt. Audrey-Anne Bilodeau,a spokesperson for the SQ. "We could maybe find out later if there are certain elements that lead us to believe that there are similarities with previous cases."

Bilodeau says the victim was shot more than once, and an autopsy could be performed later Tuesday.