The Associated Press reports that six male victims were killed by two gunmen, and that both of the suspects have been arrested. Earlier reports suggested that there were three gunmen involved, but police do not believe there are other suspects, according to the AP.
The shooting occurred at the Islamic Cultural Center on Sainte-Foy Street around 8 p.m. local time. Thirty-nine people were inside at the time of the shooting, Quebec police told the AP. Some people are still being treated for injuries, multiple local reports say.
Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau condemned the shooting as a “terrorist attack on Muslims” in a public statement released shortly after the incident. Trudeau said it was “heart-wrenching to see such senseless violence,” reaffirming that “Muslim-Canadians are an important part of our national fabric” and that the perpetrators of intolerant acts will be held accountable.
Quebec City Mayor Regis Labeaume remarked at a press conference early on Monday that no one “should have to pay with their life, for their race, their color, their sexual orientation or their religious beliefs,” the AP reports.
Islamophobic incidents have reportedly increased in Canada in recent years. CBC News reports that during the holy month of Ramadan in June, a pig’s head was left on the doorstep of the same Quebec center.
This is a developing story.
Article Appeared @http://time.com/4653003/canada-quebec-mosque-shooting/