A midday shooting in Montreal killed three people on Monday, including a police officer, a civilian and the alleged gunman, shocking residents across the Canadian city.
The incident happened in a neighborhood that has several Jewish businesses, including kosher markets and restaurants. Police have not yet confirmed a motive and said it is too early to determine whether the attack was a hate crime or an act of terrorism.
The shooter may have been linked to “incel” ideology, a misogynistic belief system associated with men who blame women for their inability to form romantic relationships. This ideology was also linked to the perpetrator of the 2018 Toronto van attack that killed 10 people.
Montreal Police Chief Fady Dagher described the incident as “a tragedy” and “a nightmare.”
Police received a call at around 11:35 a.m. local time reporting a person pointing a gun from a window of the Hilton hotel. Officers responded to the scene and came under gunfire. Videos from the area appeared to show the suspect firing both from inside and outside the building.
Dagher said it remains unclear who shot the civilian victim. He noted that this was the first time in 24 years that a Montreal police officer had been killed while on duty.
Authorities also received reports of an active shooter in the Côte-des-Neiges neighborhood around 11:30 a.m. Police responded, and an exchange of gunfire followed. The suspect was reportedly using a long gun from inside a building.
One male police officer was killed, while a female officer was seriously injured but is expected to survive. The civilian victim has not yet been identified. Police confirmed that the suspected gunman was killed during the incident.
“One suspect was neutralized and is now dead,” Dagher told reporters.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he was “horrified” by the violence.
Because the shooting occurred near a Jewish community, some online users speculated that it could be an antisemitic attack. Canada has seen a rise in reported crimes targeting Jewish people since the Israel-Hamas war began in October 2023.
The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) said it was closely monitoring the situation and urged community members to remain alert while authorities investigate.
However, Dagher emphasized that investigators have not found any evidence regarding the motive and urged the public not to spread rumors.
The police chief also confirmed reports that the suspect was wearing military-style clothing.
A construction worker nearby, Jacob Coutu, said he initially heard four or five gunshots before seeing a large police response. He later heard more gunfire and estimated that a total of 30 to 40 shots were fired.
Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette said she was deeply shaken by the tragedy and urged people to avoid speculation while the investigation continues.
The area was placed under lockdown, with residents asked to stay indoors as police secured the scene. By Monday afternoon, armed officers began leaving the area, traffic resumed, and authorities announced that the operation was coming to an end.
While daytime shootings are less common in Canada than in the United States, incidents of this scale remain rare in Montreal.
