6 dead, 2 arrested after shooting at Quebec City mosque
Quebec provincial police say six people are dead and eight were wounded after shots were fired inside a mosque on Sunday night during evening prayers.
Sûreté du Québec Sgt. Christine Coulombe says the victims range in age from 35 to 70.
Thirty-nine people escaped the Islamic cultural centre of Quebec in the Sainte-Foy neighbourhood without injuries, according to Coulombe.
Both Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Quebec government have called the shooting an act of terrorism.
Earlier in the evening, Quebec City Police Const. Étienne Doyon said mostly men were gathered inside the mosque when the shooting began just before 8 p.m.
An ambulance is parked at the scene of a fatal shooting at the Quebec Islamic Cultural Centre in Quebec City. Police say multiple people were killed. (Mathieu Belanger/Reuters)
At the moment of the attack, the men were 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 continues,”Quebec City Police tweeted.
Authorities are asking anyone with information to contact Quebec provincial police at 1-800-659-4264.
According to Quebec City Police, the shooting began just before 8 p.m. (Maxime Corneau/Radio-Canada)
‘A Québécois 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 Québécois 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 City police say two suspects have been arrested. (Radio-Cananda)
PM, premier call shooting act of terrorism
Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard called the shooting an act of terrorism and said flags at the National Assembly, Quebec’s provincial legislature, would be lowered to half-mast.
Earlier he said that “Quebec categorically rejects this barbaric violence” and offered solidarity with the families of the victims.
Le #Québec rejette catégoriquement cette violence barbare. Toute notre solidarité aux proches des victimes, des blessés et à leur famille.
Prime Minister Trudeau condemned the shooting, which he described as a “terrorist attack on Muslims in a centre of worship and refuge,” in a statement.
He said, “Muslim-Canadians are an important part of our national fabric, and these senseless acts have no place in our communities, cities and country.”
A few dozen people were inside the Islamic cultural centre of Quebec in the Sainte-Foy neighbourhood when the shooting began just after 8 p.m. (Canadian Press)
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.”
The Islamic cultural centre of Quebec has been the target of vandals in the past.
Last June, during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, a pig’s head was left on the doorstep of the mosque.
Article source: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/quebec-city-mosque-gun-shots-1.3957686?cmp=rss