Montreal Shooting: How a Gunman Killed a Police Officer and a Civilian Before Being Shot Dead
A police officer and a civilian were shot and killed in Montreal’s Côte-des-Neiges neighbourhood on Monday, June 22, 2026, after a gunman opened fire from a hotel window and then engaged officers in the street below. The suspected shooter was killed by responding officers. A second officer was critically wounded but has since stabilized.
How the Attack Unfolded
At approximately 11:35 a.m., someone called 911 to report a person pointing a gun from a window at the Hilton Garden Inn Montreal Midtown hotel. Officers arrived on scene and were immediately met with gunfire.
Cellphone videos verified by news outlets show a person dressed in fatigues-style clothing — an olive-coloured jacket and cargo pants — exchanging fire with police on the street. One officer is seen falling to the ground, crawling toward a parked car for cover, and eventually going fully prone.
Another officer takes cover behind a planter as gunfire continues. An unarmed civilian approaches the officer; a shot is heard and the person collapses. It remains unclear from the footage whether the officer or the gunman fired the fatal shot. Seconds later, the person in fatigues approaches the planter and appears to exchange fire with the officer before attempting to reload a rifle and collapsing amid continued gunfire.
The Victims
The officer killed was identified as Constable Mohamed Lamine Benredouane, 34, who joined the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) in 2021. The civilian killed was Michel (Michael) Moshe Mizrahi, described as a beloved member of Montreal’s Jewish community.
A second SPVM officer sustained critical injuries and was transported to hospital; her condition has since stabilized. A second civilian suffered minor injuries.
Who Was the Suspect?
Quebec’s coroner’s office identified the shooter as Seth Scott Hatfield, 25, from Lethbridge, Alberta. He was a philosophy student at the University of Lethbridge.
Investigators found a violent 104-page manifesto targeting women in his hotel room. Authorities have linked Hatfield to incel subculture — online communities associated with misogynistic ideology that have been connected to previous mass violence in Canada and elsewhere.
Quebec’s Minister of Domestic Security, Ian Lafrenière, confirmed the shooting was not classified as terrorism, a conclusion reached in consultation with multiple agencies including the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
City on Alert
The attack triggered significant disruptions across central Montreal. Quebec’s Transport Department closed sections of the Décarie Expressway and surrounding highway network. Two metro lines were also partially shut down.
Residents near Côte-des-Neiges, Highway 40, and Queen Mary Road were ordered to shelter in place. That alert was lifted shortly after 3 p.m. — after the suspect had already been killed.
Eyewitness David Benchimol described the scene to Global News: “Right outside our window, we saw them going into the grocery store, guns drawn, hiding behind cars and SWAT team arrived shortly after. And since then, it’s been a ghost town out here.”
Political Response
Montreal Police Chief Fady Dagher noted it had been 24 years since a Montreal officer was killed in the line of duty. “It’s a very, very sad day. It’s a nightmare,” he told reporters.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney issued a statement offering condolences to the victims and thanking officers for their response. Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette ordered the Quebec flag flown at half-mast. Montreal Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada issued the same order for City of Montreal flags.
Investigations Underway
Quebec’s police watchdog, the Bureau des enquêtes indépendantes (BEI), has opened an investigation into how officers responded to the shooting — a standard procedure whenever police use of force results in death or serious injury.
The Lethbridge Police Service confirmed it is assisting Quebec authorities with the broader investigation into the suspect’s background and motivations.
