Three people are dead, including a Montreal police officer, after a gunman armed with a long gun opened fire at a Hilton hotel in the city’s Côte-des-Neiges neighbourhood on Monday, prompting a fierce exchange of gunfire that left one civilian and the suspect also dead.
The police chief, Fady Dagher, said a second officer – a woman, according to reports – was seriously injured but in stable condition. The slain officer was identified as constable Mohamed Lamine Benredouan, 34, who had been with the force since 2021.
“Three dead including a police officer after a gunman opened fire at a Montreal hotel, police say.”
“It’s a very, very sad day. It’s a nightmare,” Dagher told reporters, noting it was the first time in 24 years that a Montreal police officer had been killed in the line of duty.
The violence began around 11:35am local time, when emergency services received a call about a person sticking a gun out of a window at the Hilton hotel. Police arrived and were immediately targeted by gunfire, Dagher said. Video footage posted on social media showed the suspect, wearing an olive-coloured jacket and cargo pants, firing at officers from outside the hotel, and later appearing to be shot while adjusting or reloading his weapon. A civilian and at least one officer were hit in the crossfire; it was not immediately clear who fired the shot that killed the civilian.
Dagher declined to comment on a possible motive, though the neighbourhood includes kosher markets and restaurants. The Canadian prime minister, Mark Carney, said he was “horrified” by the violence.
Witnesses described scenes of chaos. Jacob Coutu, a construction worker near the scene, said he heard “four or five gunshots” and then saw police arriving in large numbers. “We saw cops getting in a gunfight, getting shot down,” he said. Frank Vogas, 71, was buying paint nearby when the gunfire erupted. “I see the police storm in, come in from everywhere, and they raise their guns,” he said, recounting how officers told people inside the shop to stay low.
Danny Wilk, a Côte-des-Neiges resident, said he witnessed the violence unfold from near his home. Such shooting incidents in Montreal are rare. “It’s a nightmare,” Dagher repeated.