Has the biker war hit James Bay? That’s what police and many Crees are asking themselves after the death of Richard “Oiseau” Naud, 44, in a hail of gunfire the night of October 22 at his home in Chibougamau.
Naud was in his living room with some companions (it’s not clear if they were family or friends) when he was gunned down by an assailant shooting through the window.
Naud was pronounced dead at 11:00 p.m. at Chibougamau Hospital.
Police have no suspects, but think the shooting may have been part of a “war for territory” by organized crime, according to Sûreté du Québec spokeswoman Hélène Napton.
She said Naud was at one time “known to police as a drug dealer,” noting that he had been arrested before on drug charges.
However, Napton was careful to say police have no evidence Naud was still dealing at the time of the shooting. Police searched Naud’s home after the incident, but didn’t find anything suspicious.
A handgun was found outside the house, probably the shooter’s, but Napton wouldn’t give a description of the gun, or even the number of times Naud was shot, beyond saying “several.”
SQ Sgt. Guy Ouellette, of the Wolverine anti-biker squad in Montreal, said police are still investigating what was behind the shooting. He said Naud wasn’t a member of a motorcycle gang, but may have been hit for refusing to play along with one of the biker outfits.
“He (Naud) was warned by the Hell’s Angels probably to play the game with them,” Ouellet said. “I think his answer wasn’t the one expected by the Hell’s Angels or their representatives in the area. In my opinion, that case is definitely linked to the bikers.”
Asked if the hitman would have been a Chibougamau resident or someone from the south,Ouellet said, “You have to ask yourself, Who can do the job? It could be a local,but normally it would be outsiders.”
