'A huge loss for Montréal-Nord': Shooting victim remembered for bettering community

A day after he was shot and killed, people from the city's Montréal-Nord borough are remembering Jayson Colin as a young man who was determined to help others in his community.

Sémou Diouf saw that commitment firsthand as the project co-ordinator for an organization that works on entrepreneurial projects with youth in the neighbourhood. 

In 2019, he worked with Colin for nearly a year to help him start an organization that would make hockey more accessible and affordable  — something Diouf said the 26-year-old longed for but never had growing up. 

Diouf — who said he is in shock over Colin's death — described him as ambitious, involved in the community and someone who wanted to use the sport he loved as a springboard to help young people in the area.

"'He really wanted to give to others," said Diouf, who is also the economic development adviser for CDEC de Montréal-Nord.

"He loved hockey, it was his favourite sport, and he realized that there were difficulties practising in Montréal-Nord because it was too expensive," he added.

"He was very brave. He fought to the end, he believed in his project. He had perseverance, selflessness, he gave all his heart to carry out his project...It's really a huge loss for Montréal-Nord."

On Wednesday night, Colin was fatally shot just outside Lester B. Pearson High School.

Police say a group of four people were talking outside the school around 10:20 p.m., when two suspects approached and shot at them. Colin was killed and another man, 25, suffered non-life threatening injuries. Those suspects are still at large.

In the hours following Colin's death, many people, community groups and elected officials took to social media to pay tribute to the 26-year-old and condemn gun violence.

'Radiant, bright, resilient'

In a Facebook post, Christine Black, the borough's mayor, described Colin as being "involved in a 1,001 projects."

She also remembers him as being generous and affable. She said she couldn't believe he'd been the victim of such violence. 

"Today our community is in shock over the death of this young man," Black said. 

"In Montréal-Nord, we have good young people. We have young people who are radiant, bright, resilient, who want to accomplish things and who work hard to do so, and this young man was one of them."

In a tweet, Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante expressed her condolences for Colin's family, adding that he was committed and appreciated in his community. 

Plante said Montreal police will do everything they can in the investigation. 

'When is this all going to stop?'

Throughout the pandemic, reports of gunfire in the city — particularly in the east end — have been frequent, and all three levels of government have countered with several initiatives aimed at curbing the violence.

Residents who live near Wednesday's crime scene say the shooting has made them feel unsafe around their homes. 

"For sure I feel more in danger. You know I like to take walks sometime around the house — I won't be doing that," said Sujaya Dewanjee, adding the increased violence in the borough is making her consider moving. 

Liberal MNA Paule Robitaille, whose Bourassa-Sauvé riding encompasses most of Montréal-Nord, said the recent shooting is "extremely disturbing." 

"While it was happening here, there were also gunshots in Rivière-des-Prairies, right next door. Last week, it was in Laval. It's everywhere ... When is this all going to stop?" she said, pointing to the recent spate of gun violence in and around the city.

Last week, the federal government announced that it will be committing close to $42 million to fight growing gun violence in Quebec.