Thousands of police officers from all over Canada marched through the streets of Montreal on Tuesday ahead of a public memorial for the Montreal police officer killed in a brazen outdoor shooting last month.
A procession in Mohamed Lamine Benredouane's honour left police headquarters at 10 a.m. EDT to make its way to the Bell Centre, which can hold as many as 21,000 people.
A bagpipe band and officers on horseback led the way as the march made its way through downtown, under a cloudless blue sky. One officer held a police hat on a cushion, walking behind a pickup truck carrying a display of blue and white flowers.
"Mohamed was so committed, totally available to his colleagues," Montreal police Chief Fady Dagher told reporters early Tuesday.
He said Benredouane carried out a variety of different assignments at Station 26, which serves the city's Côte-des-Neiges, Mont-Royal and Outremont neighbourhoods.
"Usually, when a police officer cycles through several teams, it’s because they’re a problem case — but with Mohamed, it was the exact opposite," he said. "Everyone wanted him on their team."
Montreal police said more than 5,000 officers were expected to participate, including more than 2,700 from the city's force.
Benredouane, 34, was one of the officers who responded to a 911 call about gunshots at a hotel in Montreal's Côte-des-Neiges district on June 22.
Two other people were killed in the ensuing gunfire — civilian bystander Michel Mizrahi, 68, and the alleged gunman, Seth Scott Hatfield, 25, from Lethbridge, Alta. — and a second officer was injured.
Benredouane is the first Montreal police officer in 24 years to be killed while on duty. He had been with the force since 2021.
Police officers salute during a procession in honour of fallen Montreal police officer Mohamed Lamine Benredouane in Montreal, on Tuesday, July 7, 2026.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
Canadian Armed Forces helicopters passed in a flyby ahead of the ceremony, which is expected to include tributes by police leadership, dignitaries and the officer's family. People lined the sidewalks as the procession passed by, and children watched from the yard of a daycare.
A private ceremony for those close to Benredouane was held at the Islamic Centre of Quebec in Montreal on June 24.
Officials have said Benredouane grew up around Côte-des-Neiges and he was well-known in the community.
A police officer carries a cap during a procession in honour of fallen Montreal police officer Mohamed Lamine Benredouane in Montreal, on Tuesday, July 7, 2026.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
Samir Benserradj, who has family connections to Benredouane, said the huge turnout for the procession was helping the family to feel less alone amid their tragic loss.
"We always think this happens to someone else," he told reporters. "Then a few hours later, my cousin wrote and said the brother of his wife was killed. It was shocking, it was devastating, especially for his direct family."
Members of the public are invited to participate in the procession and the funeral.
Nour Gharib, who brought a bouquet of white flowers, said she wanted to show her support to the officer and his family.
"I am sending all my thoughts and prayers to his family, may he rest in peace, and I thank all police officers, firefighters and nurses, who are there for us every day," the 20-year-old said.
Montreal police officers take part in a procession in honour of fallen officer Mohamed Lamine Benredouane in Montreal, on Tuesday, July 7, 2026.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 7, 2026.
By Erika Morris and Morgan Lowrie | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.