A Canadian police officer and a civilian were killed Monday after a gunman opened fire outside a Hilton hotel, authorities said.
The shooting broke out at around 11:30 a.m. near the four-star hotel in Montréal’s Côte-des-Neiges neighborhood.
Police confirmed that a male officer with the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM), whose name has not yet been released, died in the attack. An unidentified member of the public was also killed.
SPVM Chief Fady Dagher said a female police officer was also wounded and is now in stable condition.
The suspected shooter, who has not been publicly identified, was killed by police, Dagher said.
Dagher paid tribute to the fallen officer, describing him as a “very, very good police officer.” He said he personally informed the officer’s brother of his death.
“It’s a tragic moment, a real nightmare. It’s a dramatic moment for me and my troops,” Dagher said, adding that investigators have not yet determined a motive for the attack.
Video shared on social media showed a shattered window at a nearby high-rise as heavily armed officers rushed into the area after a citizen called 911, according to Dagher.
Other clips showed police officers rushing into a Supermarché PA, a local grocery store in the area, as two people lay on the ground outside.
An armed and dangerous shooter opened fire in Montreal, Canada on Monday morning near Hilton Hotel
Terrifying footage shared online showed armed police officers responding to the scene in the Côte-des-Neiges neighborhood
Police respond to the active shooter incident in Montreal on Monday
The shooter, who appeared to be armed with a large firearm, was also seen charging and shooting at officers outside of the building, footage showed.
The suspect then reloaded their weapon before appearing to be hit by bullets that were fired by police, video showed.
‘We are asking everyone to avoid the sector. The situation is not under control,’ Jean-Pierre Brabant, a spokesperson with Montreal police, said when shots first rang out.
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Brandon Elkaim, a local who lives nearby, told CTV News that he saw children and parents running for their lives at a local park when the incident unfolded.
‘It was about 10 or 12, what we now know, were shots in a row,’ he recalled.
‘About 10 minutes went by of quiet but in that time, we saw the park completely empty out, parents and kids running in a panic.’
The area is known for its high levels of foot traffic, with several residential buildings and grocery stores nearby.
Côte-des-Neiges is also known to be a heavily populated Jewish area known for its large Orthodox and Chabad communities, according to the Jewish Telegraph Agency.
The shooter, who has not been identified, was killed by police, Fady Dagher, the chief of the SPVM, said
A man cries near the scene of the shooting on Monday afternoon
Footage showed broken glass windows on a high-rise building during the shooting
Dagher speaks at a press conference following the deadly shooting
Another emergency alert told residents there is an ‘armed and dangerous suspect’ in the area.
‘If you are in the affected area, shelter indoors, lock the doors, stay away from windows and follow instructions of local authorities,’ the alert warned.
The Daily Mail contacted the SPVM for comment.
