Eyewitnesses to the deadly shooting in Montreal are recalling the moment when gunshots rang out in the city’s Côte-des-Neiges neighbourhood, telling CTV News they’re still shaken up by what happened.
Montreal police say three people are dead, including an officer, a civilian, and the gunman, following the shooting that started around 11:35 a.m. Monday. Another officer also suffered serious injuries.
What started as a typical day for local business owner Yosef Hadad turned into a traumatic experience he says he would rather forget.
“It’s really a situation where no one would like to even remember it,” Hadad said Monday, after the shooting near the corner of Courtrai and Trans Island avenues, not far from his store.
‘I saw him … fall down in front of us’
His family business Deli 770 had recently opened for the day, and customers were already inside when gunshots rang out.
“They got stuck at the deli, for like five hours they were there,” Hadad recalled, speaking with CTV News from his house, where, from his balcony, he says he witnessed a police officer get shot.
“I saw him literally fall down in front of us,” he said. “We heard the whistling of bullets flying from the balcony.”
Police have since identified the fallen officer as 34-year-old Mohamed Lamine Benredouane, who had been with the force since 2021.
The civilian, meanwhile, has been confirmed by CTV News as Michael Moshe Mizrahi. The 68-year-old was a valued member of the community and an “innocent victim,” the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) said.
“Our thoughts and our deepest condolences are with his family, friends, and loved ones during this time of unimaginable pain,” the CIJA said.
The alleged shooter has been identified as Seth Scott Hatfield, 25, from Lethbridge, Alta. The Quebec coroner released his name on Tuesday.
“It was something that’s very traumatic,” Hadad said.
He had just left his store to grab something from his house across the street. Then, he says he heard gunshots, prompting him to run to his house. He says he saw “two guys (gunmen) with military uniforms (camouflage),” although police have said there was only one suspect.
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“This is my house. This is our community,” Hadad said, adding that locals he spoke with were in shock by what unfolded.
“Our business is here, our family business is here,” he said. “There are kids in the park. There are schools all over the place.”
‘All I thought about was running’
John David Ballesderos had just parked his car out front of Supermarché PA to get some food when he says he saw the gunman up close.
“The shooter was like, in front of me,” he recalled. “I saw him.”
He says police were telling people to flee the area.
“So we ran out of the car,” he said. “All I thought about was running. My grandma was in the back, so I didn’t want to leave her behind. She was in the car. I couldn’t leave her behind, so I ran back to her.”
Just after midday, an emergency alert was issued, warning of an “armed and dangerous person.” People in the affected area were urged to remain indoors, lock their doors and stay away from windows.
Ballesderos said he feels lucky they fled when they did, and remembers seeing children crying while calling their parents.
“I’m still shaking from the moment,” he told CTV News on Monday. “My car’s still there, I want to take it back. But I’ll wait for it.”
‘I haven’t processed it yet’
Heidi Doctor’s children, aged 14 and 16, hid in the back of a hair salon while their mom started to “freak out” in her parked car parked near the shooting.
“I was sitting, anxiously, not knowing what’s happening. I was in my car for two-and-a-half hours,” Doctor told CTV News Monday.
“I made sure they were hiding in the back of the hairdresser’s … which is next to Supermarché PA,” she said.
“I’m talking to them constantly. I’m getting updates.”
She’s thankful her children are safe, especially considering her son had arrived at the salon “minutes” before the shooting happened.
“So thank God,” she said.
“Knowing that my son was on his scooter on that street with no protection other than a helmet, minutes from when the shootings took place. I haven’t processed it yet.”
Doctor still hadn’t seen her children by the time she spoke with CTV News, but noted they were “freaking out and hungry.”
She first went back to her car to take a work call, then “cops came swarming.” About 20 minutes later, she says she was asked to move her car, but didn’t want to leave because her children were still inside the salon.
“I just want this to be over,” she added. “I want to hug them and see them.”
‘10 or 12 (gunshots) in a row’
Brandon Elkaim wasn’t sure what the loud bangs were at first.
“It was about 10 or 12, now we know as shots, in a row. About 10 minutes went by of quiet, but in that time, we saw the park completely empty out,” he said.
“Parents and kids running with panic.”
That’s when Elkaim, who lives in the area, decided to go downstairs to the grocery store that’s connected to his building for groceries.
“When I got off the elevator, there was complete chaos,” he recalled in an interview with CTV News.
Learning what had unfolded in his “usually quiet neighbourhood” has left him, and other locals he’s spoken with, “in complete shock.”
“We’re surrounded by schools,” he added. “This is usually a very family area. So, we’re completely shocked at what we saw happening here.”
