Montreal gunman kills three in incel-inspired attack before being shot

A gunman inspired by the misogynistic "incel" ideology opened fire in Montreal’s Côte-des-Neiges neighbourhood on Monday, killing three people—including a police officer—before being shot dead by authorities. The 22 June attack, which left two others wounded, has sent shockwaves through Canada, reviving painful memories of similar violence and prompting urgent debate over the threat posed by extremist online subcultures.

Police confirmed that the suspect, dressed in camouflage, targeted the area around the Jewish quarter shortly after 14:00 local time. Among the dead are a 32-year-old constable from the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal and a 45-year-old civilian; the gunman was also killed in the confrontation. Two additional victims remain hospitalised with non-life-threatening injuries. Investigators recovered 124 shell casings and linked the weapon used—a 9mm pistol—to at least two prior unsolved shootings in the province, according to ballistic evidence cited by Greek prosecutors .

A 100-page manifesto left at the scene reveals the attacker’s ideological motivations, which experts describe as a toxic blend of incel rhetoric, far-left slogans, virulent misogyny, racism, and antisemitism. Researchers Marion Jacquet-Vaillant and Nicolas Lebourg, who analysed the document, characterised it as “a manifesto incel mâtiné de mots de gauche,” underscoring the hybrid nature of modern extremist narratives . The text repeatedly rails against feminism, blaming women for his personal and societal failures, while also espousing conspiratorial and hate-filled tropes.

The attack comes amid growing concern in Canada about the radicalisation of men who self-identify with the “involuntary celibate” movement, a loosely organised online community that has inspired multiple fatal attacks worldwide. Authorities have not yet formally classified the incident as terrorism, but the manifesto’s contents and the targeting of a densely populated urban area have intensified scrutiny of far-right and gendered extremism. “It is not the first attack of this kind in Canada,” noted a report by *Der Standard*, pointing to prior cases linked to similar ideologies .

Political leaders and women’s rights groups have condemned the violence, calling for stronger measures to monitor online radicalisation and disrupt extremist networks. Quebec Premier François Legault described the shooting as “a tragedy that shakes us all,” while advocacy organisations urged social media platforms to take more decisive action against content that promotes hatred and violence. Investigators continue to piece together the suspect’s digital footprint, including social media activity and potential connections to international incel forums.

As Montreal mourns, the broader question lingers: how many more manifestos of hate will precede the next act of violence?