Fatal shooting in Kahnawake
Peacekeepers secured the area following a fatal shooting in the community on Tuesday. Marcus Bankuti The Eastern Door
The Kahnawake Peacekeepers are investigating a daylight shooting in the parking lot behind Robbie’s Smokehouse on Tuesday afternoon that rattled the community and left a non-local man dead.
The victim, 40-year-old Kyle Chad Grabowski, was known to police, according to legal documents and a flurry of news reports this week.
“There is no threat to the safety and security for the Mohawks of Kahnawake at this time,” said Mohawk Council of Kahnawake (MCK) public safety portfolio chief Ryan Montour. Community members should stay vigilant, he said. He encouraged anyone with information on this incident to report it to the Peacekeepers.
Meanwhile, community members have been left wondering why this happened here.
“Some people are going to be scared,” said MCK grand chief Cody Diabo. “It’s not something that’s a common occurrence in Kahnawake.”
He noted the cooperation between police forces on the file and emphasized the importance of letting the Peacekeepers, who are leading the investigation with the support of the Surete du Quebec (SQ) major crimes unit, do their work.
“Obviously before any type of comments can be made, we really have to find out what was the reasoning,” said Diabo. “I know there are various assumptions out there, but I can’t base comments off of assumptions, either. I need the facts. My comment would be for everybody to just be assured that the Peacekeepers are handling this situation.”
On Wednesday afternoon, the Peacekeepers published a press release with additional details about the slaying, confirming that the getaway vehicle, a red Honda Civic, was found – on fire – in Chateauguay and that a firearm was also recovered nearby.
According to the same press release, witnesses and security footage revealed that Grabowski was attacked by two suspects around 2:30 p.m. as he was leaving Robbie’s Smokehouse on Tuesday afternoon. He suffered multiple gunshot wounds.
“We’re diligently awaiting the results of the investigation, and we’ll continue to monitor the situation,” Montour said.
Grabowski’s criminal history was detailed in court documents, and his name has been publicly cited by police in the past.
In January 2023, Montreal Police (SPVM) announced a seizure of 19 firearms over the course of three days stemming from investigations conducted by the organized crime division. Grabowski, whose pseudonym was identified as K-Irish, was among those targeted in a sweep of LaSalle and Chateauguay.
According to a subsequent court judgment, six firearms, one of which had a high-capacity magazine, had been recovered from Grabowski’s home in the search, along with a large quantity of cannabis.
Following the shooting, La Presse reported that Grabowski’s name has come up in relation to investigations into a recent extortion attempt of Montreal restaurant owners, and that Grabowski was told by police in recent months that his life was in danger. That news report also said that he was believed to be linked to Irish organized crime and has been observed by police in the company of Charalambos Theologou, known as “Bobby the Greek,” who was assassinated at a Laval Starbucks in October.
According to Montour, the MCK and Peacekeepers have been looking at ways to increase security in Kahnawake. Four new officers were recently recruited, Montour said, with more openings currently posted. He also said Kahnawake is in the early stages of exploring closed-circuit security cameras.
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Diabo also pointed to the recent establishment of restricted airspace over Kahnawake, which will aid in emergency response operations.
Anyone with information relating to the fatal shooting can contact the Peacekeepers at 450-632-6505 to speak to an investigator.
Marcus Bankuti, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
