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The audacious daylight killing of a prominent Canadian crime boss inside a suburban Starbucks recently could indicate a emerging, more chaotic and brash climate when it comes to underworld activities, observers say.

Authority Gap Emerging

The apprehensions of alleged top-level, established members of Montreal's mafia in June has potentially left a vacuum – meaning newer, junior gangs are attempting to gain a foothold.

Shooting Incident Information

Police stated at a media update that they were dispatched to a Starbucks in Laval, Quebec at about 10.30am on Wednesday because of notifications of a violent incident inside the café. A single individual was murdered and two more individuals were hurt.

Deceased Individual

While police have not verified the deceased's identity, several Canadian media outlets have said the man murdered was a sentenced drug trafficker, 40, also known by an street name. The individual was the leader of a criminal group operating in the area.

Official Statements

The province's security official commented: "All evidence suggests it being an act connected with organised crime."

The local police chief informed journalists that while he could not provide details on the investigation, he is familiar with the man killed due to his "reputation". "This person is associated with criminal networks," he added.

Criminal History

The targeted individual was first linked publicly to criminal activity in the mid-2000s when law enforcement in Montreal apprehended him and multiple associates in a illegal substance investigation. He eventually admitting responsibility on narcotics charges and was received to two years in prison.

According to documents, the man was detained for a second time in 2009, again for illegal substance sales, and was subsequently given to another 60 months in prison.

Professional Assessment

A university expert said that organised crime in the area used to be characterised around showing discretion over public violence and counted on a clear hierarchical structure.

An brazen public killing at a public establishment suggests there may not be a major player enforcing rules – as aggression could affect business when it comes to drug trafficking, said the analyst.

Structural Collapse

The analyst suggested it is plausible that the organization which eliminated the gang leader simply "did not care" about the public display of aggression in order to neutralize their objective.

But the analyst thinks more likely is there has been a decline of structure and control within underworld activities in Montreal, related to substantial detentions of the suspected chiefs of local criminal networks made in June.

Major Apprehensions

After a multi-year inquiry, law enforcement took into custody an alleged criminal organization head and accused him with killing and other associated charges.

Present Circumstances

The latest detentions were seen as the last "final straw" for the established organized crime, commented the specialist.

It has left a vacuum that newer urban organizations are striving to occupy. The Wednesday's violence is an sign of an unstable, evolving landscape, he said.

"We have kind of this multitude of lesser, not highly structured gangs ... that are competing for power," he said.