A shooting in a small Canadian city early has left four people dead, including two police officers.
People in Fredericton, the capital of New Brunswick in the eastern part of the country, said they heard as many as 20 gunshots following a confrontation that prompted police to cordon off a large section of the city.
We can confirm that there is no further threat to the public, and lockdowns are not required at this time.
— Fredericton Police (@CityFredPolice) August 10, 2018
Police still have the crime scene contained, and will be working the investigation for some time. Thank you for your patience.
Among the four killed were two officers. It was a rare case of police killed in the line of duty in Canada. Their names were not released.
“Our hearts are broken by the murder of our two brave police officers,” Fredericton mayor Mike O’Brien said in a tweet.
We can confirm that the suspect in custody is currently being treated for serious injuries related to this morning’s shooting incident.
— Fredericton Police (@CityFredPolice) August 10, 2018
Several other victims were being treated at a regional hospital.
Authorities said one suspect was in custody but the person’s identity was not released and no motive was disclosed.
The entire province of New Brunswick had 11 homicides in 2016.
In Fredericton, a city of about 60,000 residents, people said they were stunned by the incident, which occurred as people were heading to work or dropping children at a day care centre not far from the apartment complex where the shooting took place.
Bill Henwood, a funeral director at York Funeral Home, whose business is located inside the cordoned off area on Brookside Drive, said people sat in their cars or were just standing near the blockade of police and fire vehicles “hanging tight and waiting for word” for news.
“It’s not something that we expect in Fredericton to wake up and hear about,” Mr Henwood said. “To see that there’s actually fatalities is pretty extraordinary for this area.”
The shooting comes as Canada wrestles with a string of violence, including an incident in Toronto last month where a man with a handgun opened fire in a crowded part of the city, killing two people and wounding 13 before he was shot and killed by police.
In April, a man who linked himself to a misogynistic online community used a van to run down pedestrians in a busy part of Toronto, killing 10 people and injuring 14.
Authorities are still pursuing leads in an ongoing investigation of a serial killer who has been charged with killing eight men in the city in recent years.
Earlier: Two police officers among four dead in shooting at Canadian apartment complex
Two of the four people killed in a shooting in the Canadian city of Fredericton, New Brunswick, are police officers.
Fredericton police said one suspect is in custody, and they are not releasing the names of the killed officers yet.
The shooting happened in an apartment complex.
Of the four people killed in this morning's shootings on Brookside Drive, two were Fredericton Police officers. No names are being released at this time. Please appreciate this is a difficult time for their families and our colleagues. We will provide more info when we can.
— Fredericton Police (@CityFredPolice) August 10, 2018
David MacCoubrey, who lives in Fredericton, said he heard about 20 shots and hid on his kitchen floor
“I’m on my floor,” he said in a phone interview. “The cops have come through my place. They have searched all the apartments in the building. It sounded like it started in the courtyard area.”
He awoke in his apartment on Brookside Drive at around 7am local time to the sound of three gunshots 10 meters from his bed.
Mr MacCoubrey said his apartment complex has four buildings in a square, and it sounded like the shots were coming from the middle of the complex.
He said police have been searching the buildings, and he has been sitting away from windows.
“It’s not something that happens here regularly,” he said.
UDPATE: At this time we can confirm that we have one suspect in custody.
— Fredericton Police (@CityFredPolice) August 10, 2018
Police continue to have the Brookside area contained for the foreseeable future as the investigation is ongoing.
Please continue to avoid the area and follow us for the facts.
Travis Hrubeniuk, who lives nearby, said his fiancee had just left for work at around 745am when he began hearing a steady stream of sirens.
Mr Hrubeniuk said residents have been advised to stay inside with their doors locked. The quiet residential neighbourhood, which has houses, grocery stores, a church and an elementary school, is the last place Mr Hrubeniuk said he expected to encounter a dangerous situation.
“This is the first time I’ve even heard of any serious crime or violent crime in this city,” he said.
In 2014, a shooting in Moncton, New Brunswick, left three Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers dead and two wounded.
Fredericton has a population of about 58,000 and is located just north-east of Maine.
On behalf of all New Brunswickers, I offer my condolences, thoughts and prayers to the victims and their families. During this difficult time, our thoughts are also with the courageous women and men on the front lines working to keep us safe.
— Brian Gallant (@BrianGallantNB) August 10, 2018
At this time, I would ask New Brunswickers, particularly those in areas identified by police, to keep informed about the situation as it develops and follow the instructions of law enforcement officials working in the area.
— Brian Gallant (@BrianGallantNB) August 10, 2018
New Brunswick Premier Brian Gallant tweeted his condolences to the victims and their families.
He said: “During this difficult time, our thoughts are also with the courageous women and men on the front lines working to keep us safe.”
Bill Henwood, a funeral director at York Funeral Home, whose business is located inside the cordoned off area on Brookside Drive, said the lockdown occurred before anybody got to work.
Mr Henwood said people are sitting in their cars or just standing near the blockade of police and fire vehicles “hanging tight and waiting for word” on what comes next.
“All the businesses even on the outside of the lockdown area have their lobbies and their business areas closed. They aren’t letting customers in at the moment,” he said.
Mr Henwood said the situation is a shock.
“It’s not something that we expect in Fredericton to wake up and hear about. To see that there’s actually fatalities is pretty extraordinary for this area. It doesn’t normally happen.”
We can confirm that there is no further threat to the public, and lockdowns are not required at this time.
— Fredericton Police (@CityFredPolice) August 10, 2018
Police still have the crime scene contained, and will be working the investigation for some time. Thank you for your patience.
Earlier: Two police officers among four dead in Canada shooting; suspect in custody
Canadian police say two of the four people killed in a shooting in the city of Fredericton are police officers.
Of the four people killed in this morning's shootings on Brookside Drive, two were Fredericton Police officers. No names are being released at this time. Please appreciate this is a difficult time for their families and our colleagues. We will provide more info when we can.
— Fredericton Police (@CityFredPolice) August 10, 2018
A resident named Justin Mclean described the scene to CBC News saying that he saw police "trying to put one of the officers in the vehicle to take him to safety...They told me to get into coverage because the guy was still shooting."
A witness to the Fredericton shooting named Justin describes seeing police trying to help fallen officer.
— CBC News (@CBCNews) August 10, 2018
"I went out and I tried to help them." pic.twitter.com/05dZpNlduG
Earlier: Suspect in custody; four dead after shooting in Canada
Fredericton Police have confirmed that they have one suspect in custody.
Police in the eastern Canadian city of Fredericton, New Brunswick, say at least four people have been killed after a shooting.
UDPATE: At this time we can confirm that we have one suspect in custody.
— Fredericton Police (@CityFredPolice) August 10, 2018
Police continue to have the Brookside area contained for the foreseeable future as the investigation is ongoing.
Please continue to avoid the area and follow us for the facts.
David MacCoubrey, who lives in Fredericton, said he woke up in his apartment on Brookside Drive at around 7am local time to the sound of three gunshots 10 metres from his bed.
Mr MacCoubrey said more than 15 other gunshots were subsequently fired between that time and around 8.30am.
He says his apartment complex has four buildings in a square, and it sounded like the shots were coming from the middle of the complex.
Mr MacCoubrey said police have been searching the complex and he has been sitting on the floor of his home away from windows.
Four dead in Canada shooting; situation ongoing
At least four people have been killed in a shooting in Canada.
The Fredericton Police say at least four people are dead.
BREAKING: #Fredericton police responding to ‘multiple’ fatality shooting, public urged to remain indoors.
— Globalnews.ca (@globalnews) August 10, 2018
MORE: https://t.co/Yne4vrdi4x pic.twitter.com/XN35Jz84Ch
The incident in New Brunswick is ongoing.
Police are urging people to stay in their homes with their doors locked.
More to follow.
Re: Shooting. At this time, we can confirm multiple fatalities. The incident is ongoing. More information will be available when we can. Please continue to avoid the area of Brookside Drive between Main and Ring Road.
— Fredericton Police (@CityFredPolice) August 10, 2018