In brief
A gunman opened fire in the densely populated Côte‑des‑Neiges neighbourhood of Montreal, killing a police officer, a civilian and shooting himself in the process. The incident, which began after 11:30 a.m. and lasted roughly an hour, brought traffic to a halt and grounded local metro services. Authorities have not yet confirmed a motive; the suspect is believed to have acted alone and may have been inspired by an incel ideology. The city’s police chief called the event a nightmare and the attack marks the first officer death in the line of duty in Montreal in 25 years.
A gunman opened fire in the densely populated Côte‑des‑Neiges neighbourhood of Montreal, killing a police officer, a civilian and shooting himself in the process.
Police say the suspect, an unidentified male who acted alone, was killed on scene by officer fire. The department reports one other officer was severely injured but is in stable condition.
Witnesses saw a gun she‑ting from a window and heard shots before calling 9‑1‑1. The attack began after 11:30 a.m. and ended around 12:30 p.m., bringing traffic to a halt and grounding metro services.
Quebec security ministers and provincial officials have stated that the motive remains unclear; the RCMP sent an alert to other Canadian police forces warning of a document allegedly urging citizens to shoot police officers, though the existence of such a document has not been confirmed by the BBC.
Montreal Police Chief Fady Dagher described the incident as a nightmare. He named the killed officer as Mohamed Lamine Benredouane, 34, who had been with the force since 2021.
The civilian killed was identified by the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs as Michael Moshe Mizrahi, described as a beloved member of Montreal's Jewish community. The group posted that he was an “innocent victim” of today’s events. Police have not confirmed an anti‑semitic motive.
Some analysts link the attacker’s probable inspiration to misogynistic “incel” online groups. A past Canadian mass shooting in Toronto in 2018, tied to incel ideology, killed ten people. The RCMP has not yet responded to comment requests.
Prime Minister Mark Carney and Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette expressed their shock and sent condolences. Montreal Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada posted “My deepest condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of the police officer who died in the line of duty.”
Images:
Photo credit: Getty Images.
Photo credit: Police Montreal.
Photo credit: Council of Jewish and Israeli Relations.
