How the attack occurred in a Jewish neighborhood in Montreal that left 3 dead
The events occurred after a call was received to the 911 emergency number alerting about shots fired from a window of the Hilton hotel.
A shooting in the Côte-des-Neiges neighborhood, an area with a large Jewish community in Montreal, left three people dead, including a police officer, a civilian and the alleged attacker, Canadian authorities reported.
According to the Montreal Police (SPVM), the events occurred after a call was received to the 911 emergency number alerting about shots fired from a window of the Hilton hotel located in the area.
When the agents arrived at the scene they were met with gunfire, which led to an armed confrontation.
Authorities confirmed that a police officer died during the exchange of gunfire. Another officer and a bystander were injured and taken to hospitals, where they remain out of danger. The suspect was killed by the officers.
The civilian victim was identified by local media as Michael Moshe Mizrahi, a well-known member of Montreal's Jewish community. Authorities are still investigating whether he died as a direct result of the attacker's shots or during the exchange of fire.
Various Canadian media indicated that the alleged aggressor would have been influenced by the “incel” (involuntarily celibate) ideology, a misogynistic current associated in recent years with episodes of extreme violence.
Preliminary reports indicate that the suspect had distributed a manifesto before the attack with messages against women, feminism and the police. However, the authorities keep the investigations open and have not classified the incident as a terrorist act.
Montreal Police Chief Fady Dagher said the attacker acted alone and ruled out the involvement of other suspects. Likewise, he highlighted that this is the first time in 24 years that an agent of the corporation dies in the line of duty.
After the shooting, authorities ordered the temporary confinement of residents and closed several streets while an extensive security operation was carried out. The measure was lifted once the suspect was neutralized.
The Prime Minister of Canada, Mark Carney, and Quebec authorities expressed their condolences to the families of the victims and recognized the work of the security forces that responded to the emergency.