After a fatal shooting incident on June 22, social media rumors wrongly claimed that a Montreal police officer shot civilian Michel Mizrahi, who died during the operation, as per sources from Radio-Canada. La Presse initially reported this information on Wednesday. Mizrahi sustained multiple gunshot wounds, including a fatal shot to the head based on autopsy findings. Analysis of the lethal shot suggests a left-to-right trajectory, countering the police officer’s position and ruling out her firearm as the source of the shot.
The police officer, with only 15 months of service, was being pursued by the assailant, who had just killed her patrol partner, Const. Mohamed Lamine Benredouane. The shooter, armed with an SKS rifle, injured the police officer in the arm and abdomen before being neutralized by the police.
Videos circulating on social media depicted the incident from various angles, leading to misconceptions that the officer mistakenly shot Mizrahi. Following the incident, the officer faced death threats while undergoing treatment in critical condition. Montreal Police Chief Fady Dagher expressed his anticipation for honoring the officer, though he did not confirm La Presse’s report.
The events unfolded when reports of an armed individual at a Hilton hotel in Côte-des-Neiges prompted police response, resulting in a confrontation between law enforcement and the shooter. Ongoing investigations by Quebec’s police watchdog, the provincial police service, and the coroner’s office aim to uncover further details about the incident.