2 victims of Côte-des

2 victims of Côte-des-Neiges shooting honoured in ceremonies

Funeral services held Wednesday, with additional police tribute planned in coming weeks

The two victims killed in Monday's Côte-des-Neiges shooting — a Montreal police officer and a civilian — were honoured at two separate ceremonies on Wednesday.

A funeral service for civilian Michel Mizrahi, 68, was held Wednesday morning at Paperman & Sons funeral home.

A funeral prayer for the 34-year-old police officer who died in the line of duty, Mohamed Lamine Benredouane, took place later in the day at a mosque. Mourners then proceeded to the Laval Cemetery for the burial.

In a statement to media Wednesday, the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) said the ceremony was "strictly private."

"Out of respect for the family’s wishes, we ask that you not attend. Discussions are underway to organize a civic ceremony to celebrate the life of officer Benredouane," read the statement.

According to Radio-Canada, the SPVM's fallen colleague will be honoured in about two weeks.

'Bigger than life,' says Mizrahi's nephew

Stéphanie Valenzuela, borough mayor of Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, and Montreal Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada were among those seen at Mizrahi's funeral Wednesday morning.

Mourners, dressed mostly in black, quietly made their way into the funeral home. Inside, prayers were recited as the room filled with emotion.

Tomer Marcus, Mizrahi's nephew, took to the stage to share memories and pay tribute to his late uncle, struggling to hold back his tears.

Family, community gather to pay tribute to civilian killed in Montreal shooting

He said the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of his uncle is his generosity.

"If someone needed help, advice or simply someone to talk to, he would make the time. That's just who he was," Marcus said.

"His personality was bigger than life and that's something I will miss deeply."

Montreal man and police officer killed in midday shooting hailed as heroes

He also shared a memory of Mizrahi helping his son choose a bar mitzvah outfit. Mizrahi owned a tailoring business, but Marcus said it was never "just a job" for him.

"He cared about people and wanted them to look and feel their best," Marcus said.

At the end of his speech, Marcus couldn't hold back the tears. He stepped down from the stage and placed a kiss on the black cloth covering his uncle's coffin.

Rabbi Mendel Raskin, Mizrahi's rabbi for 30 years at the Beth Chabad synagogue in Côte Saint-Luc, also addressed the mourners.

"We mourn our dear, one-of-a-kind friend ... a father, a brother, a friend, a pillar of our community," the rabbi said.

Raskin shared accounts of Mizrahi's final moments, saying he spoke with people who told him Mizrahi helped guide others away from the scene of the shooting before his death.

"He left this world while thinking of others," Raskin said.

Benredouane was 'an exceptional man'

Since Monday, tributes have poured in for both victims from the people who knew them, highlighting their deep impact on people's lives.

According to a crowdfunding campaign launched for his family, Benredouane leaves behind a three-year-old child and a pregnant wife.

"Behind the uniform was an exceptional man: a dedicated police officer, a loyal friend, a loving husband and an extraordinary father," reads the page.

Hours before the funeral prayer on Wednesday, near the mosque, CBC News spoke with Nadir Ahcene Djabazzah, who said he was born in the same region of Algeria as Benredouane. They were neighbours there.

He is a distant older cousin, he explained, and Benredouane comes from a large, well-known family.

Djabazzah said he remembers Benredouane as a friendly boy who was always smiling before he emigratd to Canada. He said Benredouane grew up to be a well-educated, polite man.

“I consider him like a brother,” said Djabazzah. “A lot of people back home are very touched by his death.”

Montreal mourns police officer killed in neighbourhood where he grew up

Benredouane was also a member of the Montreal-based Ligue maghrébine de soccer (Maghreb soccer league).

In a social media post published on Monday, the league shared a picture of Benredouane, flanked by teammates, smiling widely.

"The Algerian community has lost one of its children, respected and loved by all," the statement reads.

'State of shock' in Côte-des-Neiges after Montreal shooting, borough mayor says

Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce borough mayor Valenzuela also paid tribute to Benredouane on Tuesday.

"When you have someone that grew up in the neighbourhood, decided to serve his community in a way that he did by ultimately losing his life — it was an act of heroism," she said.

Yves Francoeur, head of Montreal's police brotherhood, said in a statement that Benredouane was a man of honour and courage.

"Our colleague gave his life to protect the citizens of Montreal," he wrote.

Benredouane is the first police officer killed in the line of duty in Montreal since 2002.

A funeral procession for a Toronto police officer who was fatally shot on duty earlier this month also took place in the city Wednesday. Hundreds of police officers, emergency responders and city leaders joined his family at a funeral service.

Quebec’s coroner’s office has identified the suspect in the shooting as a 25-year-old man from Lethbridge, Alta., but investigators have so far declined to discuss a possible motive or explain why he travelled to Montreal.

Hénia Ould-Hammou is a Montreal journalist with CBC News. She previously completed an internship with La Presse after graduating from McGill University with a double major in political science and psychology. Hénia is interested in international and societal issues, community stories, soccer, politics and rap. You can send her an email at henia.ould-hammou@cbc.ca

with files from CBC's Ethan Lang, Holly Cabrera, Patricia Kozicka and Alexandre Silberman