Montreal Shooting
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A gunman in military-style camouflage ambushed Montreal police officers on a residential street on Monday, killing a police officer and a civilian before being shot dead by patrols.

The attack unfolded on 22 June 2026 in the Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce borough, one of the most densely populated and diverse districts in Canada's second-largest city. The Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) confirmed three people were dead by early afternoon: the suspect, a police officer and a civilian. A second officer, female, was transported to hospital in a critical condition.

This is what is confirmed.

The Shooting Began At 11:35 In The Morning

The SPVM confirmed that officers first responded to reports of shots fired at 11:35 on Monday morning, at the corner of Courtrai Avenue and Trans Island Avenue, a residential intersection adjacent to the Décarie Expressway in Côte-des-Neiges. SPVM spokesperson Jean-Pierre Brabant addressed media in a recorded statement: 'We are asking everyone to avoid the sector. The situation is not under control.'

Witnesses in the area reported hearing between 20 and 30 shots in rapid succession. Many initially mistook the bursts of gunfire for construction noise, as there are two active building sites nearby, before the scale of the police response made clear something more serious had occurred. A business owner in the immediate area barricaded himself inside his premises and watched through his windows as heavily armed officers and snipers took up positions in the surrounding streets.

Video footage circulated widely on social media and was not disputed by the SPVM. It showed two bodies lying on the ground. The suspect, clad in camouflage clothing, was visible face down on the pavement. A rifle consistent in appearance with an SKS semi-automatic carbine was visible on the ground nearby. The SPVM did not officially confirm the weapon type at the time of publication.

A City Locked Down, Metro Lines Suspended

The SPVM issued an emergency alert broadcast across mobile phones, radio and television networks across the province. It ordered residents within the boundaries of Côte-des-Neiges Road, MacDonald Street, Highway 40 and Queen Mary Road to shelter in place immediately, lock their doors, stay away from windows and follow instructions from local authorities.

Quebec's Transport Department confirmed the closure of sections of the Décarie Expressway in both directions, as well as other parts of the central highway network. Two metro lines were also affected: the SPVM confirmed that significant sections of the Orange line, between Côte-Vertu and Lionel-Groulx stations, were suspended as police secured the surrounding area.

The Sûreté du Québec deployed officers to assist the SPVM throughout the operation. The perimeter encompassed commercial properties, hotels and residential buildings near the highway interchange. Quebec 511, the province's official traffic information service, confirmed the Décarie Expressway northbound was completely blocked at the exit to Côte-St-Luc Road.

Three Dead, One Officer In Critical Condition

Shortly before 13:45, the SPVM posted on its official account: 'It is with immense sadness that we confirm the death of one of our police officers in the line of duty. Further details will follow.' In an earlier update, the force stated: 'A suspect has been neutralized. Two police officers and one civilian were injured. The police operation is still underway. Please continue to avoid the area.'

Spokesperson Brabant later confirmed that the second injured officer, identified as female, had been transported to hospital in a critical condition. He confirmed that the civilian also died. The total confirmed death toll stood at three: the officer, the civilian and the suspect.

Montreal Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada issued a public statement: 'My deepest condolences to the family, loved ones, and colleagues of the police officer who died in the line of duty in Côte-des-Neiges.' Quebec's Domestic Security Minister Ian Lafrenière posted publicly: 'My thoughts are with the families of the people injured.'

Motive Unconfirmed, Investigation Ongoing

The neighbourhood targeted is home to a large Jewish community, with numerous kosher restaurants, a Chabad centre and several Jewish schools and community institutions in the immediate vicinity. The shooting location sits adjacent to a Hilton Hotel on the Décarie corridor. The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) issued a public statement: 'Thoughts first go to all those affected by this incident, as well as all the police officers mobilised to ensure the safety of citizens. We are wholeheartedly with the law enforcement forces who risk their lives every day to ensure our safety.'

As of publication, the SPVM had not officially confirmed a motive, a target, the identity of the officer killed or the identity of the suspect. Local media carried unverified reports that the suspect had prepared and distributed a written document to media outlets before opening fire. The SPVM did not confirm the existence or contents of any such document at the time of writing.

The SPVM had scheduled a press conference for 15:00 ET to provide further details. That briefing had not concluded at the time of publication.

Canada's largest French-speaking city lost a police officer and a civilian on a Monday morning, and the question of why remains, for now, unanswered.

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