Key facts
- A shootout in Montreal resulted in the deaths of three people: a police officer, a civilian, and the assailant.
- Investigators are looking into the possibility that police accidentally killed the civilian during the firefight.
- The assailant's manifesto, posted online, contained 'incel' ideology, racist and misogynistic theories, and a list of potential targets.
- Canadian police have issued a national warning about possible copycat attacks inspired by the manifesto.
- The incident marks the third time a Canadian police officer has been killed on duty this month.
Canadian police are on high alert for potential copycat attacks following a violent shootout in Montreal that claimed the lives of three individuals, including a police officer and a civilian. The assailant, who was reportedly dressed in military camouflage, was killed by police after opening fire in the Côte-des-Neiges neighborhood. Investigators are currently examining evidence that suggests the civilian may have been accidentally killed by police during the exchange.
Following the incident, the assailant's extensive 104-page manifesto was published online by a far-right news outlet. The document reportedly expresses grievances aligned with the 'involuntary celibacy' (incel) movement, alongside racist and misogynistic conspiracy theories. Federal police have disseminated a bulletin to law enforcement agencies nationwide, warning that the manifesto may encourage attacks on police officers and urging extreme vigilance.
The manifesto outlines a range of potential targets, including major investment banks, politicians, 'influential Zionists,' private healthcare executives, companies involved in environmental destruction, plastic surgeons, and cryptocurrency speculators. The document concludes with a violent call to action: 'Be unflinching, go forth, and KILL THEM ALL!'
The officer killed in the line of duty has been identified as 34-year-old Mohamed Lamine Benredouane, who joined the force in 2021. The civilian victim, Michel Mizrahi, was identified as an Israeli citizen. This fatal shooting marks the third instance of a Canadian police officer being killed in the line of duty this month, following two Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers who were shot and wounded in Saskatchewan earlier in the week.
Canada has experienced several attacks in recent years attributed to extreme misogynistic and incel ideologies. Notable incidents include a 2018 van attack in Toronto that killed 10 people and a 2020 machete attack in Toronto that was deemed an act of terrorism. The country also continues to grapple with the legacy of the 1989 Polytechnique massacre.