Quebec City Police say several people are dead after shots were fired inside a Quebec City mosque on Sunday night during evening prayers.
Multiple people are also feared wounded. Their condition is not known at this time.
Quebec City Police Const. Étienne Doyon said mostly men were gathered inside the Islamic cultural centre of Quebec in the Sainte-Foy neighbourhood when the shooting began just before 8 p.m.
The president of the centre, Mohammed Yangui, said at least five people were killed, but that information has not been confirmed by police.
He added that he thought somewhere between 60 and 100 people were inside when the shooting began.
At the moment of the attack, the men where praying on the ground floor of the building, while women and children were upstairs.
Two suspects have been arrested, one of whom was apprehended after a chase that ended near l'île d'Orléans.
A large perimeter has been set up around the mosque.
Quebec City Police said they are working with the RCMP and the Quebec provincial police. At 10:40 p.m. police said the "situation is under control."
"The building is secure and the occupants evacuated. The investigation continue," wrote Quebec City Police on Twitter.
'A Quebecois accent'
A witness, who asked to remain anonymous, told CBC's French-language service Radio-Canada that two masked individuals entered the mosque.
"It seemed to me that they had a Quebecois accent. They started to fire, and as they shot they yelled, 'Allahu akbar!' The bullets hit people that were praying. People who were praying lost their lives. A bullet passed right over my head," said the witness.
"There were even kids. There was even a three-year-old who was with his father."
Quebec premier tweets in solidarity with victims
Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard said in a tweet that the province is mobilizing to assure the safety of Quebec City residents.
He added that "Quebec categorically rejects this barbaric violence" and offered solidarity with the families of victims and wounded.
Last June, during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, a pig's head was left on the doorstep of the mosque.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="fr" dir="ltr">Fusillade au Centre culturel islamique: le gouvernement est mobilisé pour assurer la sécurité de la population de <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Qu%C3%A9bec?src=hash">#Québec</a>. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/polqc?src=hash">#polqc</a></p>— Philippe Couillard (@phcouillard) <a href="https://twitter.com/phcouillard/status/825899455325097985">January 30, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the shooting a "cowardly attack" and said Canadians were grieving for the victims.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Tonight, Canadians grieve for those killed in a cowardly attack on a mosque in Quebec City. My thoughts are with victims & their families.</p>— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) <a href="https://twitter.com/JustinTrudeau/status/825910196077723648">January 30, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Montreal, Gatineau increase security
In the wake of the attack both Montreal and Gatineau, Que., said they will be increasing security and surveillance.
Gatineau Police said they will pay "particular attention to the surroundings of mosques."
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/quebec-city-mosque-gun-shots-1.3957686
Multiple people are also feared wounded. Their condition is not known at this time.
Quebec City Police Const. Étienne Doyon said mostly men were gathered inside the Islamic cultural centre of Quebec in the Sainte-Foy neighbourhood when the shooting began just before 8 p.m.
The president of the centre, Mohammed Yangui, said at least five people were killed, but that information has not been confirmed by police.
He added that he thought somewhere between 60 and 100 people were inside when the shooting began.
At the moment of the attack, the men where praying on the ground floor of the building, while women and children were upstairs.
Two suspects have been arrested, one of whom was apprehended after a chase that ended near l'île d'Orléans.
A large perimeter has been set up around the mosque.
Quebec City Police said they are working with the RCMP and the Quebec provincial police. At 10:40 p.m. police said the "situation is under control."
"The building is secure and the occupants evacuated. The investigation continue," wrote Quebec City Police on Twitter.
'A Quebecois accent'
A witness, who asked to remain anonymous, told CBC's French-language service Radio-Canada that two masked individuals entered the mosque.
"It seemed to me that they had a Quebecois accent. They started to fire, and as they shot they yelled, 'Allahu akbar!' The bullets hit people that were praying. People who were praying lost their lives. A bullet passed right over my head," said the witness.
"There were even kids. There was even a three-year-old who was with his father."
Quebec premier tweets in solidarity with victims
Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard said in a tweet that the province is mobilizing to assure the safety of Quebec City residents.
He added that "Quebec categorically rejects this barbaric violence" and offered solidarity with the families of victims and wounded.
Last June, during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, a pig's head was left on the doorstep of the mosque.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="fr" dir="ltr">Fusillade au Centre culturel islamique: le gouvernement est mobilisé pour assurer la sécurité de la population de <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Qu%C3%A9bec?src=hash">#Québec</a>. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/polqc?src=hash">#polqc</a></p>— Philippe Couillard (@phcouillard) <a href="https://twitter.com/phcouillard/status/825899455325097985">January 30, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the shooting a "cowardly attack" and said Canadians were grieving for the victims.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Tonight, Canadians grieve for those killed in a cowardly attack on a mosque in Quebec City. My thoughts are with victims & their families.</p>— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) <a href="https://twitter.com/JustinTrudeau/status/825910196077723648">January 30, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Montreal, Gatineau increase security
In the wake of the attack both Montreal and Gatineau, Que., said they will be increasing security and surveillance.
Gatineau Police said they will pay "particular attention to the surroundings of mosques."
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/quebec-city-mosque-gun-shots-1.3957686
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