A shooting in Montreal, Canada has left three people dead, including a police officer, a civilian and the suspected attacker, police said.  

Montreal’s Police Chief Fady Dagher called the incident in Côte-des-Neiges, central Montreal on Monday “a nightmare,” and said it was too early to say whether the shooting was terrorism related.

''It's a very, very sad day. It's a nightmare. And, but we have to be solid,” he said.

He added that it was the first time in 24 years that an officer would be killed in the line of duty.

Police received a report of someone shooting from a building at around midday.

When officers arrived, a crossfire erupted. The suspect used what Dagher described as a long-range weapon.

Jewish advocacy group the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs said the civilian victim was a “beloved member of Montreal’s Jewish community.”

Montreal Police identified the officer killed as Mohamed Lamine Benredouane, born in 1992.

“It is with deep sadness that we confirm the tragic death of officer Benredouane, while carrying out his duties in protecting the public,” the police force said in a statement on X.

Québec’s Premier Christine Fréchette told a press conference that she was “profoundly shocked,” and expressed her condolences to the family and loved ones of those killed. 

“Montreal is a safe city and we are doing everything we can to keep it that way. We are not immune to tragedies like the one we experienced today, but safety remains our top priority,” she added.

Radio-Canada, the French-language division of Canada’s national public broadcaster, reported that the shooter left behind “a manifesto against women,” which called for revolution against the system.

Photos from the incident on Monday show police peering into a supermarket, as one officer crouches at a broken window. 

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