2 police officers die in shooting in Canada
By Barry Ellsworth
TRENTON, Canada
Two police officers are among four dead in a shooting rampage Friday in Canada’s New Brunswick province.
Details are sketchy, but one suspect is in custody following the incident that occurred about 7 a.m. in the province’s capital of Fredericton.
Police tweeted for local residents to stay inside with locked doors and asked that others stay away from the neighborhood where the incident occurred.
Shortly before 9 a.m. an apartment building was evacuated.
By 11 a.m. police said there was no longer any danger.
“Police still have the crime scene contained and will be working the investigation for some time,” authorities said.
A nearby hospital said it was treating “multiple victims” of the shooting, including the suspect who sustained “serious injuries.”
Police have not released the identities of the suspect and victims.
Federal politicians were quick to take to Twitter and express their shock at the shootings in the city of under 60,000 residents.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau: “Awful news coming out of Fredericton. My heart goes out to everyone affected by this morning’s shooting. We’re following the situation closely.”
Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale: “All of Canada stands with the two brave Fredericton Police officers who lost their live protecting their community today. Their families, friends and loved ones have our deepest condolences.”
A press conference was slated for later Friday.
Multiple shootings are rare in Canada. A shooting in Toronto last month claimed two victims and following that incident, Toronto council overwhelmingly voted to urge the government to ban the sale of handguns in the city.
