Montreal gunman identified; manifesto reportedly espoused incel views

The gunman in an attack that left a police officer and a civilian dead outside a hotel in Montreal has been identified as a 25-year-old man who left behind a manifesto espousing incel, anti-women and anti-capitalist views, according to officials and Canadian media reports.

The Quebec coroner’s office identified the gunman as Seth Scott Hatfield, 25, of Lethbridge, Alberta, CTV News reported. The officer who was killed was identified by Montreal police as Mohamed Lamine Benredouane, 34, while the civilian victim was identified as 68-year-old Michel Mizrahi.

The shooting happened at about 11:35 a.m. on Monday after a 911 caller reported seeing the barrel of a gun coming out of a window and hearing gunfire at the Hilton hotel at 6939 Bd Décarie in Montreal’s Côte-des-Neiges area, Montreal Police Chief Fady Dagher said at a briefing on Monday.

Officers responded to the hotel and were fired upon when they arrived. An exchange of gunfire followed outside at street level, leaving Benredouane, Mizrahi and the suspect dead.

A female officer who was critically injured is now in stable condition and no longer in danger, while a second civilian suffered minor injuries.

Videos circulating online appeared to show a police officer shooting the civilian during the incident.

“There has been some information stating that the civilian was shot by a police officer,” Quebec Public Security Minister Ian Lafrenière said, according to CBC News. “This is not the kind of information that we can share at this moment.”

The attacker was dressed in camouflage and armed with a rifle during the attack, according to officials and video from the scene. A long gun used by the suspect was recovered at the scene.

Investigators are examining a manifesto bearing Hatfield’s name, which was found in the shooter’s hotel room.

CTV News reported that the 104-page document repeatedly refers to the state of the Western world and includes anti-women rhetoric consistent with “incel,” or involuntarily celibate, ideology.

The document, written in an essay style with citations and sources, includes calls for restricting women and removing them from the workforce, while also blaming video games and pornography for increased loneliness among young men.

It also includes repeated references to hypergamy, a belief that women seek partners of higher status, and argues that society is structured against white men perceived as less physically attractive.

The manifesto also contains anti-capitalist themes and disparaging references to wealthy or privileged social classes, Christianity, cryptocurrency and people the author viewed as profiting from mass immigration.

The document listed several groups and industries as targets, including major real estate brokerages, private equity firms, supporters of Zionism, health insurance CEOs, pick-up artists, plastic surgeons and others, according to CTV News.

Independent journalist Steve Lookner noted that the attack happened directly in front of the building that contains the headquarters of Aylo, the company that operates Pornhub and other adult websites. It was not immediately clear whether the location was connected to the attack.

Montreal police have not released a motive. Dagher said on Monday that investigators were looking into information about possible motives, including reports that a manifesto may have been sent to media.

The officer who was killed, Benredouane, had served with Montreal police since 2021. The department said he died while protecting the public and called his death “a great loss” for the organization.

“His sense of duty, dedication and professionalism will forever remain in our memories,” Montreal police said. Flags were lowered to half-staff in his honor.

Dagher said it was the first time in 24 years that a Montreal police officer had been killed in the line of duty.