Mr. Puffs café reportedly used as Laval gang leader's headquarters targeted by gunfire

A Mr. Puffs café in Laval, Que., reportedly used as a headquarters by a recently slain gang leader was hit by gunfire overnight.

It was the third shooting in 48 hours in the city and comes days after Laval police said they wanted to crack down on extortion.

On Thursday, two cafés were hit by bullets within 20 minutes of one another.

A Laval police spokesperson said Friday it was too early to say if the shootings were connected.

Organized crime detectives are investigating.

On Oct. 2, one day after organized crime figure Charalambos Theologou was shot dead inside a busy Starbucks, Mr. Puffs released a statement denying any link with him.

The denial followed a La Presse report that said Theologou, also known as Bobby the Greek and purported head of an extortion-involved gang known as the Greeks of Chomedey, had established a headquarters at the Mr. Puffs outlet.

“The published article suggests that an individual known to law enforcement for criminal activities has ‘set up headquarters’ in one of our restaurants in Laval,” the Mr. Puffs statement said.

“Mr. Puffs categorically denies any commercial, financial or operational ties to this individual or any criminal organization.”

Nobody was inside the store at the time of the shooting.

Mr. Puffs is a Canada-wide chain offering pastries and coffee.

Laval police say extortion incidents are on the rise across their territory and have asked merchants to come forward and help investigators, noting that they will not be considered criminals, but rather victims, even if they have been forced to pay money to a criminal group.