Sayeed Muhammad: In a tragic turn of events, at least four people were killed in a shooting in the eastern city of Fredericton, New Brunswick, said Canadian police, adding that a suspect is in custody.
The situation has been “contained,” police said on Twitter, according to NCC, with BBC reporting that authorities concerned described the shooting as an “active incident”.
They have advised residents of Brookside Drive to “stay in their homes with doors locked at this time for their safety”.
“We will provide more details as soon as we can,” city police tweeted, urging the public to avoid the area.
Fredericton is the capital of New Brunswick province and home to around 56,000 people.
A local TV reporter said he heard four gunshots just after 11 GMT. Nick Moore, a journalist from CTV Atlantic, posted video footage of the scene on Twitter, showing emergency vehicles outside a house.
New Brunswick, in eastern Canada, is one of the nation’s Maritime provinces. Its premier, Brian Gallant, said in a statement that “we are all shocked and saddened to learn this morning of the ongoing tragic incident.”
“I offer my condolences, thoughts and prayers to the victims and their families. During this difficult time, our thoughts are also with the courageous women and men on the front lines working to keep us safe,” he said.
“At this time, I would ask New Brunswickers, particularly those in areas identified by police, to keep informed about the situation as it develops and follow the instructions of law enforcement officials working in the area.”
Gun laws are more stringent in Canada than in the US, but the number of shootings has nonetheless risen in recent years.