The voice of Jewish Canada since 1960.
The voice of Jewish Canada since 1960.
This is a developing story. The CJN is following it and will continue to provide updates.
One Montreal police officer and a civilian were killed, another police officer was critically injured, and a suspect was shot dead Monday morning during a dramatic shooting at a residential and commercial complex in Montreal’s Snowdon district.
The civilian was identified as Michael (Michel) Moshe Mizrahi, a member of Montreal’s Jewish community, a post from Federation CJA said. The officer has been identified as Constable Mohamed Lamine Benredouane, 34, who had served on the Montreal police force for five years.
The injured female officer is now out of danger, according to Montreal police.
Reports of shots fired on Westbury Avenue, near the Décarie Expressway, began at approximately 11:15 a.m. The site is a complex of six condominium, mixed-use and hotel buildings with commercial businesses at street level.
While the first shots were reportedly fired from an upper floor of the hotel building, the shooter was already on the ground floor when police arrived, according to SPVM Chief Fady Dagher, who would not confirm reporters’ queries that the shooter had called police himself in an attempt to set up an ambush.
Resident Brandon Elkaim told Radio-Canada that he heard gunfire at approximately 11:15 a.m. but initially believed it was construction noise. He said he saw families running from Elie Wiesel Park directly in front of the complex, where families had gathered before the shooting began.
Police arrived approximately 10 minutes later. Twenty minutes after the first shots, Elkaim said he could still hear gunfire as dozens of police vehicles converged on the scene, including an armoured vehicle and K-9 units.
Footage from the area showed armed police breaking through the glass doors of the supermarket across the street from where the shooting is believed to have begun. Nicolas Erimos, the owner of Supermarché PA, told French-language media that the shooting did not take place inside his store. “There was a lot of confusion,” he said, adding police entered and searched the supermarket while customers and employees remained on the ground. Those inside were then moved into a windowless room.
At approximately 12:15 p.m., residents in the area received an emergency alert instructing them to shelter in place.
The Cummings Centre, the Federation CJA campus and the nearby YM-YWHA, along with Jewish and public schools and daycares in the area, were placed under lockdown. St. Joseph’s Oratory, approximately three kilometres south of the scene and a popular summer tourist destination, was evacuated as a precaution. A police helicopter was seen circling above the Oratory.
Police established a wide security perimeter around the shooting scene, and enlarged it as the minutes went by, bringing all mid-day traffic in and around Décarie and Jean Talon, already Montreal’s most congested intersection, to a complete standstill. “We made it much larger to be sure it is secure,” Dagher said.
At 3 p.m., Dagher said police were continuing to secure the area and had no confirmed information about the possible involvement of any additional suspects. “The suspected shooter is dead,” Dagher said. “The immediate threat is neutralized.”
He urged the public and media outlets not to circulate graphic images, rumours or unconfirmed information. “Be very careful of rumours,” he said. “The event that concerns us today has been neutralized. What motivated him is still unclear.”
An emotional and visibly shaken Dagher described the killing of the police officer as “worse than terrible. It is a nightmare, the worst thing you can have… It’s been 24 years since we lost a police officer in Montreal.”
Police were still dealing with a chaotic and active scene, he added. “The operation has not ended. It is still ongoing.” Asked whether the shooter had acted alone, Dagher said police did not yet have enough information. “We still need to see the CCTV in the area. It just happened,” he said.
Quebec’s police watchdog, the Bureau des enquêtes indépendantes, is overseeing the investigation because police officers discharged their weapons and a suspect was killed. Dagher said that once the scene was secured, responsibility for the investigation would be transferred to the BEI. “We will come back when we have new information.”
Quebec Public Security Minister Ian Lafrenière said it was too soon to speculate when asked whether the RCMP could have a role in the investigation. Meanwhile, he says, he was “surprised and shocked. It’s a very sad moment.”
Asked about reports circulating online regarding an alleged manifesto, Lafrenière urged caution. “Listen, my experience as a cop who was at Dawson during the shooting, I remember rumours being in circulation,” he said. “We have to be very careful. I don’t want to contribute to that.”
The shooting occurred approximately two blocks from the MADA Community Center and near a commercial strip containing two kosher restaurants and a popular grocery store.
The surrounding buildings, which house condos, rental units, offices and commercial spaces, are also home to many Jewish residents, many of whom reported numerous antisemitic incidents since the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks in Israel, notably including mezuzahs being knocked from doorways in the complex. More recently, the social-media account Leviathan identified a Montreal man who allegedly praised Hitler and threatened Jewish Montrealers, raising further alarm on Jewish social-media platforms.
Police had not confirmed that the shooting was directed at the Jewish community, nor would Dagher confirm who was responsible for killing the civilian victim. “I don’t have this information. The operation is ongoing.”
Shoppers inside the PA supermarket were locked down and told to remain lying on the floor, according to a witness inside the grocery store. Supermarket officials say the police broke down the store’s doors to check if the shooter or shooters were inside, but the store was safe. Approximately 25-30 people were in the store at the time, PA officials said.
Staff at the neighbouring Jewish social services agency, MADA, said the incident happened right next to their location at 6875 Décarie Blvd. They swung into action. Here is their post from the agency’s Facebook account earlier Monday:
“A terrifying and tragic incident unfolded today just outside MADA. We are heartbroken to report that a shooter opened fire, wounding two police officers. Panic and chaos erupted immediately. In the immediate aftermath, terrified guests from the Hilton Hotel and employees from neighboring (sic) organizations were urgently evacuated to our center, (sic) fleeing in fear for their lives. Our doors were opened wide as people arrived in a state of shock—many were trembling, children were sobbing uncontrollably, and the air was thick with distress. Here, we provided shelter and a much-needed sense of safety. Volunteers and staff immediately stepped into action, wrapping the frightened children in comfort, giving them toys to dry their tears, and offering shoes to those who had fled the hotel barefoot in the rush. Above all, we are profoundly grateful that our dedicated team and clients are safe. Amidst the terror, MADA became a true haven—a shelter for anyone who needed it, and today, our community proved just that.”
Montreal’s Jewish federation, Federation CJA, said it is monitoring the situation and waiting for further details on the possible motive for the attack. Officials urge the community to “exercise vigilance”.
With files from Ellin Bessner
Joel has spent his entire adult life scribbling. For two decades, he freelanced for more than a dozen North American and European trade publications, writing on home decor, HR, agriculture, defense technologies and more. Having lived at 14 addresses in and around Greater Montreal, for 17 years he worked as reporter for a local community newspaper, covering the education, political and municipal beats in seven cities and boroughs. He loves to bike, swim, watch NBA and kvetch about politics.
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