Memorial for 17-year-old shot and killed in Montreal’s Plateau: Mourners urge government action to stop gun violence
Global News
A small memorial was held in the Plateau Mont-Royal borough Sunday afternoon to remember a 17-year-old who was shot and killed just days earlier.
A small memorial was held in Montreal’s Plateau-Mont-Royal borough Sunday afternoon to denounce the recent violence among the city’s youth population.
It came just days after a 17-year-old was shot and killed in that neighbourhood.
Amir Benayad was working on getting his drivers license before his life tragically ended.
“He was a great guy, big smile on his face. He had dreams,” says 15-year-old Joanes Mufale, a friend of Benayad. “He was always thinking about cars. We used to stay on Facebook Marketplace searching for cars every single day. It was his big dream to have his dream car.”
The two teens had been friends for nearly a decade.
“My heart is broken. Everything is numb inside of me. I can’t feel pain anymore. One of my brothers died,” he says.
The 17-year-old was shot and killed last Thursday evening in the Plateau borough. He was Montreal’s first homicide of 2022. Many people at Sunday’s memorial said more action is needed to tackle gun violence.
“I’m mostly angry because the government is not doing anything,” said Naila Naoui, a young woman who spoke at the memorial. “They’re not trying to find solutions. They’re not looking, they’re not giving it enough attention,” she adds.