OTTAWA (Web desk) – At least four people were killed and several others were critically injured in shootings in the western Canadian province of Saskatchewan on Friday.
“Obviously, this is every parent s worst nightmare,” said Canadian PM Justin Trudeau.
Trudeau held a news conference in Davos, Switzerland, where he was attending the World Economic Summit, to announce the death toll in the remote northern aboriginal community of La Loche in the province of Saskatchewan.
Trudeau said five people had been killed and two others were in critical condition but a Royal Canadian Mounted Police spokeswoman later revised the death toll down to four. The suspected shooter was taken into custody after police received an emergency call about “a person discharging a weapon in the community,” RCMP superintendent Maureen Levy told reporters.
She said police were also investigating a second location in a nearby residential neighborhood, but provided no further details.
Authorities did not disclose the age and identify of the shooter and victims. “We all grieve with and stand with the community of La Loche and all of Saskatchewan on this terrible tragic day,” Trudeau said.
La Loche students said they heard six or seven shots ring out at around 1:00 pm (1900 GMT).
“Words cannot express my shock and sorrow at the horrific events today in La Loche,” Brad Wall, the premier of Saskatchewan, said in a statement.
“My thoughts and prayers are with all the victims, their families and friends and all the people of the community.”
