Peel police are investigating the region's third homicide of the year after a reputed mobster was shot at a Brampton halfway house on Wednesday night.
Constantine (Gus) Alevizos, 45, was found in the common area of St. Leonard's Place with a gunshot wound and other injuries to his abdomen and back shortly before 10 p.m., police said.
Alevizos was taken to hospital but pronounced dead. An autopsy to determine the exact cause of death is scheduled for Friday.
Police said Alevizos was granted parole on drug trafficking charges a few days ago. St. Leonard's Place, located on Queen Street East near Dixie Road, houses federal convicts on parole.
Alevizos has longtime connections to organized crime and was among those rounded up in a raid following the 2000 assassination of mob enforcer Gaetano Panepinto, who was gunned down outside his Etobicoke home, the Toronto Star reports.
Peel police have not yet commented on the victim's alleged gang links.
"He's known to police, as for his status in society, we are not commenting on that right now," Const. Wayne Patterson told CTV.ca.
"That is part of our investigation and we still have to speak to others about his history."
Alevizos was a star university football player and played briefly in the CFL, the Star reports.
Police currently don't have any suspect information. Anyone with any information is asked to call police at 905-453-2121 ext. 3205, or Peel Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
The homicide is Peel's third in the past week.
