In the aftermath of a tragic shooting on June 22, reports circulating on social media claimed that a Montreal police officer had shot civilian Michel Mizrahi, causing his death. However, sources from Radio-Canada have revealed that this information is inaccurate. The initial report was published by La Presse on Wednesday morning.
Autopsy findings indicate that Mizrahi sustained multiple gunshot wounds on the day of the incident, with a fatal shot to the head. Analysis of the fatal shot suggests a left-to-right trajectory, contradicting the position of the police officer, and ruling out the possibility of her firearm being involved.
The police officer, who had a tenure of only 15 months, was reportedly being pursued by the assailant. Prior to Mizrahi’s death, the perpetrator had already fatally shot the officer’s patrol partner, Const. Mohamed Lamine Benredouane, who was lying nearby. The gunman, armed with an SKS rifle, injured the police officer in the arm and abdomen before being killed by law enforcement.
Following the incident, various videos depicting the shooting surfaced on social media, leading to widespread belief that the officer mistakenly shot Mizrahi in a moment of surprise. While hospitalized in critical condition, the officer received death threats.
Montreal Police Chief Fady Dagher, in an interview with Radio-Canada, expressed anticipation for the officer to be recognized and honored for her actions. Investigations into the shooting, conducted by Quebec’s police watchdog, the provincial police service, and the coroner’s office, are still ongoing.
The events unfolded on June 22 when authorities responded to reports of an armed individual at a Hilton hotel in the Côte-des-Neiges neighborhood. Upon arrival, a confrontation between the police and the shooter led to a shootout.