TORONTO (AP) — A suspect accused of fatally shooting a Montreal police officer outside a hotel had left behind a written manifesto tied to the so-called “incel” movement, according to an official with knowledge of the situation who confirmed the information Tuesday.
The armed suspect opened fire on officers Monday using a long gun before police shot back, killing him. A civilian also lost their life during the incident, though it remained unclear Tuesday who fired the shot that killed them.
The official, who spoke only under the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the case publicly, said the document connects the suspect to the “involuntary celibate” — or incel — ideology. The incel movement is largely an online community made up mostly of men who believe society unfairly withholds sexual or romantic relationships from them.
Authorities have not released the suspect’s name to the public.
The officer who was killed was identified by police as Constable Mohamed Lamine Benredouan, 34 years old, who had served on the force since 2021.
The existence of the manifesto led to an alert being sent to police departments throughout Canada warning of the potential for similar attacks targeting officers.
A police spokesperson in British Columbia confirmed that law enforcement agencies throughout that province received a warning following the shooting.
Staff Sgt. Lindsey Houghton of the Surrey Police Service said the alert was distributed Monday afternoon through an intelligence-sharing unit based at Royal Canadian Mounted Police headquarters in British Columbia.
Quebec Domestic Security Minister Ian Lafrenière said he would hold back from discussing details about the suspect’s background or possible motives, noting that an independent police watchdog — which handles investigations into deaths and injuries involving police — is conducting its own inquiry.
Montreal Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada said she was unable to speak to the specifics of the case, but stressed the importance of staying alert given the volume of hateful content circulating on social media platforms.
“A lot of people are being recruited, young people. They are not on the street, they are in a different space, which is much harder to control. That’s something that we’re going to have to be working on with the Montreal police in the future,” the mayor said.
The Montreal attack draws comparisons to a 2018 incident in Toronto, where a man used a van to mow down pedestrians, killing 10. That case, which brought widespread attention to the online culture of sexual frustration, rage, and misogyny associated with the incel community, ended in a 2021 guilty verdict. Alek Minassian was convicted on 10 counts of first-degree murder and 16 counts of attempted murder.
