Shooting of Pat Musitano the latest in a deadly string of mob-related violence

A sunny spring morning anda Mississauagalaw office parking lot becamethe setting of the most high profile, mob-relatedhit Hamilton and the GTA haveseen in years.

Pat Musitano, reputed scion of the Hamilton crime family that shares his name, was shot Thursday after reportedly leaving a meeting with hislawyer. He was rushed to a Toronto trauma centre and police said Friday that he remains in life-threatening condition.

The attack is a direct blowto the once-mighty Musitano family and followsyears of underworldturmoil that experts and investigators say has recently boiled over in Hamilton and other areas of the GTA, leading to a spate of killings.

Many questions remain about the underworld power struggle, but experts say this shooting reveals just how weakened the Musitano family has become in a few short years. Theysay Pat had been moving around and tryingto hideand that what remnants there wereof his organization are melting away.

"Until they settle some old accounts, until they decide to appoint a new boss who will come out with a solution to put an end to this horrible struggle, there will be more violence," said Antonio Nicaso, a Mafia expert who teaches courses on organized crime at Queen's University.

Mustiano's shooting marks the fourth incident in the past two years where the victim has some connection to organized crime in Hamilton. Three of the attacks shared similarities, with the victim being gunned down at home and police reporting the alleged shooters performed some sort of surveillance on their targetbefore pulling the trigger.

Surging violence amid a power struggle

Police have connected the recent surge of violence in the Toronto and Montreal areas to a power struggle that seems to have started after VitoRizzuto, former head of the Montreal Mafia, died in 2013.

The"Teflon Don" died after beinghospitalized for pulmonary problemsabout a year after he was released from an American prison for pleading guilty to racketeering charges in exchange for a 10-year sentence in connection with the 1981 murders of three alleged gang leaders at a New York social club.

His death opened the door to upheaval in the underworld, according to Nicaso.

"There's a power struggle left from the vacuum from Rizzuto," he previously told CBC News.

The first evidence of the struggletouched Hamilton in 2017 when notorious mobsterAngelo MusitanoPat's brother was fatallyshotoutside his Waterdown home.

Pat and Angelo are the sons of the family's original head, Dominic Musitano who established the family as a force in the city. He died in1995. The Musitanofamily was aligned with Rizzuto, which offered protectionuntil his death.

A Hamilton manis facing a murder chargein connection with Angelo's death. Two other suspects are wanted on Canada-wide warrants, but police believe they may have fled to Mexico.

Angelo was killed just before the 20-year anniversary of the famous hit on the fearsome Johnny (Pops) Papalia, to which he was forever linked, despite family and friendsdescribing him as someone whofound God and spent time caring for his young family in his later years.

Pat's home was previously targeted

That fatal shooting kick started a string of violent incidents that have left the familyunder siege.

Just weeks after Angelo was killed, someone sprayed Pat Musitano'shome on St. Clair Boulevard with bullets.

An attack on a home is seen as a serious sign in criminal circles, according toStephen Metelsky, a criminology professor at Mohawk College who spent more thantwo decades with Halton police, specializing in organized crime.

"That on its own is a very significant act in the underworld," he said. "When someone's property is destroyed, shot at or burned, especially in the Mafia it could be a foreshadowing of circumstances that will unfold in the future. I think that's what we're seeing today."

Nicaso said the Musitanoleft his house after it was shot up and was trying to hide out in theMississauga area when he was shot.

"He was hunted for sure," said the professor, adding he wasn't surprised at all to hear about the shooting.

Experts think Musitano was on the run

That said, the timing of the violent attack is raising questions for experts.

Musitano'suncle, Tony, died last week of natural causes. His funeral was WednesdayatCathedral Basilica of Christ the King in Hamilton less than 24 hours before his nephew was shot.

Metelskysaid he wonders why, given the rash of violence that's targeted his family, and the recent passing of his uncle, Musitano would leave the security of his hometown.

He has a theory that a meeting at a law office was just the window of opportunity whoever was gunning for Musitanoneeded.

"This no doubt was meant to be a homicide, not an attempted murder, it was a targeted incident," he said."From my understanding, Pat was a homebody. So to get Pat out of not only Hamilton, but his comfort zone surrounding his home, I think that afforded an opportunity to carry out a public-style potential hit."

Two such "public-style" hits have been carried out in Hamilton in the past year alone.

Al Iavarone, real estateagent who police said had connections to organized crime, was shot outside his Ancaster home in September. His wife and kids were home at the time.

Police say someone drove up in a silver car, waited in the bushes for hours until the50-year-old arrived home and then carried out the"targetedattack."

A few months later, Cece Luppino, the son of mobster Rocco Luppino, was killed at a Hamilton home in January.

Investigators have called it yet another "targeted" killing, though Luppino did not have a criminal record.

Police say Luppino likely wasn't being followed. Instead, someone was watching for him.

Pointing to surveillance video, police say the man who killed Luppinomilled around for a short period before walking through aneighbouring property, into an open garage. After the shooting he was seen running from the scene.

Family could be losing supporters

While theystill have associates, Metelsky said the Musitanoorganization has been significantly reduced in recent years.

"Really the remnants of the Musitano family are Pat himself. I think anybody that's looking to make a strategic power play in the city of Hamilton, it's just Pat that's left," he explained.

The professor said he suspects the family's remaining supporters are starting to jump ship.

"Anybody that's close to or an associate of the Musitano Crime Family, I think it's obvious that the once-prominent family and the power and backing they had is anywhere close to where it used to be in the 90s, 2000s and even up until five years ago."