2026 Montreal shooting

The Attack and Police Response

The Montreal City Police Service (SPVM) responded to a 911 call at approximately 11:35 a.m. on June 22, 2026, after a witness reported seeing a gun protruding from a window of the Hilton Garden Inn Montreal Midtown and hearing gunshots. The gunman, later identified as Seth Hatfield, appeared to be firing at the sixth floor of the building across the street, which housed employees of the Aylo conglomerate. When the first police officers arrived at the scene, the gunman had moved to street level, leading to an immediate and violent exchange of gunfire. The initial responding officers were Constable Mohamed Lamine Benredouane and a female colleague, who faced a direct ambush from the shooter.

During the shootout, Constable Benredouane was shot and fatally wounded. A civilian, Michel Mizrahi, was also fatally shot as he approached the police officers' position. The female police officer was then shot and critically wounded. The gunman was ultimately fatally shot by Constable Xavier Gaumond, who arrived on scene as the acting sergeant of Station 26 and witnessed Benredouane being shot. Gaumond engaged Hatfield as the perpetrator was reloading his weapon, ending the immediate threat. Police Chief Fady Dagher later stated that it remained unclear who had fired the shot that killed Mizrahi.

In response to the ongoing threat, police established a significant security perimeter. They blocked Highway 15 and the Orange Line metro service, and ordered residents within the boundaries of Côte-des-Neiges Road, MacDonald Street, Highway 40, and Queen Mary Road to remain indoors. A video posted to social media depicted the shooter dressed in camouflage and ambushing the officers. One witness at the scene estimated hearing between 30 and 40 gunshots during the chaotic incident.

The Victims

The shooting claimed the lives of two innocent individuals and left two others injured. Constable Mohamed Lamine Benredouane, aged 34, was the police officer killed. He had joined the SPVM in 2021 and, according to Borough Mayor Stéphanie Valenzuela, had grown up in the very neighbourhood where he died. His death marked the first time an SPVM officer was killed in the line of duty in 24 years, sending shockwaves through the police force and the city. A second SPVM officer, whose name was not widely released, sustained critical injuries during the attack.

The civilian fatality was identified as Michel Mizrahi, a 68-year-old Montreal resident of more than 30 years who was also an Israeli citizen. The Israeli Consulate in Montreal confirmed his identity. A second civilian received minor injuries during the incident. The circumstances surrounding Mizrahi's death remained a specific point of investigation for authorities in the days following the shooting, as police worked to determine the exact sequence of events that led to his death.

The Perpetrator and His Ideology

The Quebec coroner's office identified the shooter as Seth Scott Hatfield, a 25-year-old resident of Lethbridge, Alberta. Hatfield had studied philosophy at the University of Lethbridge. On the day of the incident, a high-risk operation was carried out at his residence in Alberta by police cooperating with the Quebec investigation. Analysis of Hatfield's online presence revealed a playlist of favoured videos on his YouTube account from a 2023 archive, which included content from conspiracy theorist Paul Joseph Watson, the military march "Farewell of Slavianka," and a video discussing fascism, all published between 2019 and 2021. His channel subscriptions focused on topics such as pagan beliefs, fishing, and firearms.

Investigators quickly linked Hatfield to the involuntary celibate (incel) subculture after discovering a 104-page manifesto in his hotel room. The manifesto explicitly targeted women and blamed online pornography, including the site Pornhub operated by Aylo, for causing significant suffering among men. It called for attacks on pornography industry conventions, the headquarters of global pornography companies, and prominent pornographic film actors and actresses. The document also identified pickup artists and plastic surgeons as targets.

According to analysis by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, the manifesto combined Marxist ideology with incel beliefs, calling for the destruction of liberalism and capitalism through armed revolution. Hatfield wrote that modern capitalism was responsible for creating a "hypergamy state" among women. He further identified business leaders, politicians, Zionists, and cryptocurrency leaders as "class A targets" for violence. This ideology formed the basis for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police's Integrated National Security Enforcement Team opening an investigation into ideologically motivated violent extremism.

Official Reactions and Community Mourning

Political leaders across Canada expressed condolences and solidarity in the wake of the shooting. Prime Minister Mark Carney issued a statement expressing his condolences to the victims' families and gratitude to the police. Quebec Premier Christine Frechette offered her condolences at a press conference and ordered the Quebec flag flown at half-mast. Montreal Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada also ordered city flags lowered and expressed concerns about online discourse and gun violence. Borough Mayor Stéphanie Valenzuela joined Ferrada in expressing condolences to Constable Benredouane's family and all victims.

Aylo issued a statement to the media expressing their condolences to the families of the victims and gratitude to first responders for protecting their employees. Employees of the company were present during the shooting. It was initially speculated that the attack could have been motivated by antisemitism because it occurred in a large Jewish community. On the evening of the incident, the Jewish Community Council of Montreal urged the public not to leap to conclusions. In a statement, they warned that speculation or rumours would undermine their fight against antisemitism and make it harder to persuade others when genuine antisemitic incidents occur.

Community mourning was widespread and profound. Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day celebrations in Côte-des-Neiges were cancelled, and municipal facilities in the borough were closed. The CN Tower in Toronto dimmed its lights in commemoration. On June 24, approximately 1,000 mourners gathered at the Islamic Centre of Quebec in Saint-Laurent for Benredouane's funeral. A large public commemorative ceremony and procession was held at the Bell Centre on July 7, attended by family, dignitaries, and over 5,000 police officers from across Canada. A police march from SPVM headquarters to the Bell Centre was flanked by other officers, first responders, and civilians.

Investigations Launched

Multiple overlapping investigations were initiated immediately following the shooting. The Sûreté du Québec (SQ) launched a criminal investigation into the shooter and his actions. The Lethbridge Police Service in Alberta cooperated with Quebec authorities. Critically, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police's Integrated National Security Enforcement Team opened an independent investigation into ideologically motivated violent extremism in response to the content of Hatfield's manifesto. A separate coroner's investigation was also launched to examine the circumstances of the three deaths.

The Bureau of Independent Investigations (BEI), a civilian agency which investigates serious injuries and fatalities involving police in Quebec, launched an investigation into the police response to the suspect, in collaboration with the Sûreté du Québec (SQ). On July 6, the BEI established a command post at the intersection of two roads in Montreal, De Courtrai Avenue and Décarie Boulevard, for four hours. They requested that witnesses or owners of videos of the police response to the shooting visit them or go to their website. The BEI aimed to gather evidence to understand the sequence of events.

Public Demonstrations and Aftermath

The shooting triggered public demonstrations focused on the ideologies believed to have motivated the attacker. On June 25, a women-led protest organized by Pour Elles Montreal against incel subculture was held. It began at the memorial for the 1989 École Polytechnique massacre, a femicide committed by a misogynistic terrorist, explicitly drawing a connection between the two events. Organizers stated the demonstration's purpose was to spark a necessary discussion about misogyny, violence against women, and the online radicalization of young men.

On July 1, a gathering near the shooting location was held to mark the end of the shiva, the traditional Jewish mourning period, for Michel Mizrahi. A large screen was set up to allow attendees to see Mizrahi's family in Israel, though it was knocked over by wind. The gathering also included a tribute to Constable Benredouane. The personal toll of the public attention was highlighted when Benredouane's sister pleaded on Facebook on June 26 for people to stop sharing videos of her brother's death, expressing concern that his children might come across the graphic footage and asking for respect for the family's privacy in their grief.

Questions about 2026 Montreal shooting

What happened in the 2026 Montreal shooting?

On June 22, 2026, a shooting and a subsequent shootout occurred outside the headquarters of Aylo in the Côte-des-Neiges neighborhood of Montreal. Three people were killed: a civilian, a Montreal City Police Service officer, and the perpetrator, 25-year-old Seth Hatfield, who was fatally shot by responding officers. A second SPVM officer was critically injured, and a second civilian sustained minor injuries. The police responded after a witness reported seeing a gun and hearing gunshots.

Who was the shooter and what was his motive?

The shooter was identified as Seth Scott Hatfield, aged 25, a resident of Lethbridge, Alberta. He was linked to incel subculture after a 104-page manifesto targeting women was found. His manifesto blamed online pornography, including Pornhub, for men's suffering and called for attacks on the pornography industry. The manifesto also called for the destruction of liberalism and capitalism by armed revolution, combining Marxist ideology with incel beliefs.

Who were the victims of the shooting?

The slain officer was Constable Mohamed Lamine Benredouane, aged 34. The civilian victim was identified as Israeli Michel Mizrahi, aged 68, a Montreal resident. A second SPVM officer was critically injured, and a second civilian received minor injuries. Constable Benredouane's death marked the first SPVM officer killed in the line of duty in 24 years.

How did the police respond during the incident?

Police responded to a 911 call reporting a gunman at the Hilton Garden Inn. The first officers on scene, Constable Benredouane and a female colleague, were ambushed. Benredouane was killed and his partner was critically wounded. The shooter was ultimately fatally shot by Constable Xavier Gaumond as he reloaded. Police established a large security perimeter, blocking a highway and metro line and ordering residents to shelter in place.

What investigations were launched after the shooting?

Multiple investigations were launched. The Sûreté du Québec began a criminal investigation, while the RCMP's Integrated National Security Enforcement Team opened an inquiry into ideologically motivated violent extremism. The Quebec coroner investigated the three deaths. Separately, Quebec's Bureau of Independent Investigations (BEI) examined the police response to the suspect, requesting witness testimony and video evidence from the public.

How did the community and leaders react?

Political leaders from Prime Minister Mark Carney to Montreal Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada expressed condolences and ordered flags flown at half-mast. The Jewish community cautioned against premature conclusions about antisemitic motives. Large-scale mourning included a funeral for Constable Benredouane attended by thousands of officers and a public ceremony at the Bell Centre. A women-led protest against incel ideology was also held, beginning at the memorial for the École Polytechnique massacre.

Sources: Wikipedia and current public reporting, checked by the Nosy Mag desk. Last updated 2026-10-20.