A shooting incident in the Côte-des-Neiges area of Montreal on Monday resulted in the deaths of a police officer and a civilian, with the assailant subsequently being killed by responding law enforcement officers.
Montreal shooting suspect: All we know as c hilling manifesto revealed
Earlier in the day, TVA Nouvelles, a Canadian news outlet, has reported that the shooter was Seth Scott Hatfield, 25, of Lethbridge, Alberta. The outlet further revealed that a manifesto was also discovered following the attack. Investigators have yet to disclose a motive; however, reports from Canadian media, citing police sources, suggest that the document is currently under examination as part of the investigation and may offer insights into the circumstances that led to the tragic shooting.
Hatfield died during the encounter with law enforcement. Footage captured by bystanders depicted an individual clad in military-style attire wielding what seemed to be a long firearm as heavily armed police officers entered the vicinity. Residents were instructed to remain indoors while the police conducted their search of the area.
Montreal shooting suspect's manifesto
Hatfield created a manifesto prior to the shooting and distributed it to multiple media organizations, reported local media.
{{/usCountry}}Hatfield created a manifesto prior to the shooting and distributed it to multiple media organizations, reported local media.
{{/usCountry}}The 104-page manifesto authored by the suspect advocated for a violent uprising aimed at dismantling contemporary capitalist society, while also targeting police, Jewish individuals, women, and pornography. In 1989, Marc Lépine killed 14 female students at the Polytechnique engineering department in Montreal, asserting that women had destroyed his life. The Polytechnique is located just a short distance from the site of Monday's attack.
Montreal shooting: Chief of SPVM gives update on probe
Chief of SPVM Fady Dagher stated that the investigation remains active.
In a press conference, Chief Dagher confirmed that the suspect has been neutralized, yet the investigation continues.
According to Dagher, it has been 24 years since a police officer in Montreal was killed in the line of duty.
"This was a nightmare, the worst sort of nightmare," he stated. “When you become a police officer, you know the risks. But you never expect something like this to happen.
"The policewoman who was in critical condition is now in stable condition and no longer fears for her life," Dagher added.
Dagher stated that the police are in possession of the manifesto, yet they have not determined whether the attack was an ambush or if the suspect is affiliated with a larger network.
Quebec’s police oversight agency, the Bureau des enquêtes indépendantes (BEI), is currently conducting an investigation into the shooting. As reported by Canadian media, the BEI is responsible for investigating all incidents in which a civilian is killed or injured during police operations or while in police custody.
Montreal shooting victims: Here's what we know
On Monday, a shooting incident in the Côte-des-Neiges area of Montreal, Canada, resulted in the deaths of a Montreal Police officer (SPVM) and a Jewish man. Additionally, a second officer sustained serious injuries.
The deceased civilian has been identified as Michael Moshe Mizrahi, a local Jewish resident and member of the Chabad center. The SPVM confirmed that the police officer who lost his life in the attack was Constable Mohamed Lamine Benredouane, aged 34, who had been with the SPVM since 2021.
Mizrahi, who originally hailed from Lebanon, moved to Israel before eventually settling in Montreal. He is survived by a son and two daughters residing in Israel, and ZAKA is collaborating with local authorities to facilitate the repatriation of Mizrahi's body to Israel for burial.