A police officer, a civilian, and a suspect were killed on Monday during a violent shooting at a hotel in Montreal’s Côte-des-Neiges neighbourhood.
Police Chief Fady Dagher described the incident as a “nightmare” and a “very, very sad day,” marking the first time in 24 years that a Montreal officer has been killed in the line of duty, reports Guardian.
The deceased officer has been identified as 34-year-old Constable Mohamed Lamine Benredouan, who had served with the force since 2021. A second officer was seriously injured in the exchange of fire but is reported to be in a stable condition.
The incident began at 11:35 am when emergency services received a report of an individual pointing a gun out of a window at the Hilton hotel. Upon arrival, police were targeted with gunfire.
Video footage from the scene showed a suspect armed with a long gun, dressed in an olive-coloured jacket and cargo pants. While the suspect was shot and killed by responding officers, it remains unclear who fired the shot that killed the civilian bystander.
Witnesses described a scene of intense violence. Jacob Coutu, a construction worker nearby, estimated hearing between 30 and 40 gunshots.
“We saw cops getting in a gunfight, getting shot down,” he said. Another resident, Danny Wilk, reported seeing the shooter in “military clothing” looking ready to fire before being taken down by police.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he was “horrified” by the violence, while Quebec Premier Christine Frechette expressed that she was “deeply shaken” and urged the public to avoid speculation.
Quebec’s domestic security minister, Ian Lafrenière, confirmed that multiple agencies, including the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), concluded the shooting was not a terrorist attack. The motive remains unknown, and the investigation has been handed over to an independent police watchdog.
Following the events, police in British Columbia were warned of a potential manifesto calling for violence against officers, though authorities in Quebec have refrained from commenting on the suspect’s specific identity or motives while the probe continues.
The Côte-des-Neiges area, a partly Jewish neighbourhood, was initially locked down, but traffic resumed on Monday afternoon as officers began clearing the scene.
