The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) said that 10 people, including the suspected shooter, have been killed in a shooting at a high school in the province of British Columbia, with more people injured.
The Tumbler Ridge RCMP said in a statement on Tuesday that six people were found dead inside Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, while another person died on the way to hospital, according to police.
Another two people were found dead at a home that police believe is connected to the shooting.
The RCMP said the incident involved an “active shooter at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School” in British Columbia, and that “an individual believed to be the shooter was also found deceased with what appears to be a self inflicted injury”.
Two people were “airlifted to hospital with serious or life threatening injuries” and approximately 25 others were “being assessed and triaged at the local medical centre for non life threatening injuries”, the RCMP added.
“All remaining students and staff were safely evacuated. Police are working closely with the school district to support a coordinated reunification process for families,” the police said.
Located in the foothills of the British Columbia Rocky Mountains, more than 1,100 km (685 miles) north of Vancouver, the township of Tumbler Ridge has a population of fewer than 3,000 people.
Canadian media have reported that the shooter was female, but the RCMP declined to provide any details on the suspect’s identity in a news conference on Tuesday.
The RCMP said officers were searching other homes and properties in the community to see if there were additional sites connected to the incident.
RCMP’s northern district commander Ken Floyd said in a statement this “was a rapidly evolving and dynamic situation”.
“This has been an incredibly difficult and emotional day for our community, and we are grateful for the cooperation shown as officers continue their work to advance the investigation,” he said.
David Eby, the British Columbia premier, described the mass shooting as an “unimaginable tragedy” and said the government would “ensure every possible support for community members in the coming days”.
“Our hearts are in Tumbler Ridge tonight with the families of those who have lost loved ones,” Eby said.
Canada has stricter gun ownership laws than its neighbour, the United States, but a string of mass shootings in recent years has prompted calls for tougher control measures.
Former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau introduced gun control measures in 2022, including a “freeze” on the buying and selling of handguns in the country.
Source: AFP