Officer and civilian are killed after Montreal gunman opens fire at ritzy four-star Hilton hotel in front of screaming visitors: ‘This is a tragic nightmare’
A Canadian police officer and a civilian were killed when a gunman opened fire at a Hilton hotel, authorities said.
Gunshots rang out outside the four-star hotel in Côte-des-Neiges at around 11.30am on Monday.
A Service de Police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) officer, identified only as a man, died in the attack. Police said that an unnamed citizen also died.
SPVM chief Fady Dagher said a female police officer was injured and was in a stable condition.
According to Dagher, the unidentified attacker was killed by the police.
Dagher, who described the deceased police officer as ‘a very, very good police officer’, said that he conveyed the sad news of his death to his brother.
‘This is a tragic moment, a real nightmare. “This is a dramatic moment for me and my troops,” he added. Dagher said the reason behind the attack remained unclear.
Dahger said horrific footage shared online showed a window of a high-rise building being shattered as armed police officers rushed to the scene after a citizen called 911.
Other clips showed two men lying on the ground outside as police officers rushed to Supermarché PA, a local grocery store in the area.
An armed and dangerous attacker opened fire near the Hilton Hotel in Montreal, Canada, on Monday morning.
Horrific footage shared online shows armed police officers responding to the scene in the Côte-des-Neiges neighbourhood.
Police respond to an active shooter incident in Montreal on Monday
In the footage, the attacker, who appeared to be armed with a large firearm, was seen attacking and shooting at police officers outside the building.
In the video, the suspect was then seen reloading his gun before appearing to be hit by bullets fired by police.
‘We ask everyone to stay away from the industry. “When the gunshots were first heard, the situation was not under control,” Montreal police spokesman Jean-Pierre Brabant said.
Brandon Elkaim, who lives nearby, said: CTV News He said he saw children and parents running for their lives in a local park when the incident unfolded.
‘It was about 10 or 12 shots, consecutive shots as far as we know now,’ he recalled.
‘About 10 minutes of silence passed, but during this time we saw that the park was completely empty, with parents and children running in panic.’
The area is known for its high levels of foot traffic, with many residences and grocery stores nearby.
Côte-des-Neiges is also a densely populated Jewish area known for its large Orthodox and Chabad communities. Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
SPVM chief Fady Dagher said the unidentified attacker was killed by police.
A man cries near the scene of the shooting Monday afternoon
In the footage, it can be seen that the windows of a high-rise building were broken during the shooting.
Dagher speaks at press conference following deadly shooting
Another emergency alert notified residents that an ‘armed and dangerous suspect’ was in the area.
“If you are in the affected area, seek shelter indoors, lock doors, stay away from windows and follow the instructions of local authorities,” the warning said.
An SPVM spokesperson told the Daily Mail that the attack was being investigated by the Bureau des enquêtes indépendantes (BEI).
