Canadian police are warning of possible copycat attacks after a deadly shootout in Montreal left three people dead, including a police officer, and the assailant's lengthy manifesto—which called for "a new bloodletting"—was posted online by the far-right outlet Rebel News.
Manifesto Details and Ideology
The 104-page document contains hallmark grievances of the "involuntary celibacy" (incel) movement, alongside racist and misogynistic conspiracy theories. It blames feminism, liberalism, and capitalism for the "situation of terrible loneliness, isolation, and social degradation" the shooter believed men face. The manifesto lists "valid potential class A targets," including large investment banks, powerful politicians, "influential Zionists," corporate executives in private healthcare, companies involved in environmental destruction, plastic surgeons, cryptocurrency speculators, and "the headquarters of international pornography companies." It ends with the words: "Be unflinching, go forth, and KILL THEM ALL!"
The Shooting Incident
On June 23, 2026, a man dressed in military camouflage and carrying a long gun was spotted moving around Montreal's Côte-des-Neiges neighborhood. Shooting broke out, and when police arrived, nearly 30 shots were heard. The shootout killed one police officer and the gunman. Video from witnesses appears to show police accidentally killing a civilian during the firefight. Another injured officer suffered critical injuries but is expected to survive. Investigators from Quebec's police watchdog, the Bureau des enquêtes indépendantes (BEI), are investigating the deaths.
Victims Identified
Montreal police identified the slain officer as Mohamed Lamine Benredouane, 34, who had been with the force since 2021. The civilian, Michel Mizrahi, was identified as an Israeli citizen by Israel's consulate in Montreal. Quebec's domestic security minister, Ian Lafrenière, stated: "There have been some rumors, there has been some information stating that the civilian was shot by a police officer. This is not the kind of information that we can share at this moment," adding that the watchdog is investigating.
Police Warning and National Alert
After the shooting, Canada's federal police sent a bulletin to police agencies across the country warning that the gunman's manifesto is "allegedly encouraging citizens to shoot police officers." The alert called on police to "exercise extreme caution and remain highly vigilant." The fatal shooting marks the third time a Canadian police officer has been killed on duty this month. Two Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers were also shot and wounded on the same day in Saskatchewan during a property dispute.
Context of Incel Violence in Canada
In recent years, Canada has witnessed a string of attacks apparently inspired by extreme misogynist incel ideology. In 2018, a van driver killed 10 and injured more than a dozen in Toronto. The perpetrator of a 2020 machete attack at a Toronto spa—in which one woman was killed and another seriously injured—was also motivated by the ideology, and the case marked the first incel-related incident in Canada to be deemed an act of terrorism by the courts. The country is still grappling with the fallout of the 1989 attack on Montreal's Polytechnique engineering school, where a young man killed 14 women and injured 14 others before killing himself.
Official Reactions
Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette told reporters she was "deeply shocked and saddened" by the attack and ordered the Quebec flag to fly at half-mast. Prime Minister Mark Carney said he was "horrified" when he learned of the shooting, stating: "My thoughts are with the victims, their loved ones, the first responders, and the entire community of Côte-des-Neiges." Montreal Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada extended her "deepest condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of the police officer who died in the line of duty."
