Earlier, Couillard said,\u00a0“Quebec categorically rejects this barbaric violence.” He also offered solidarity with the families of the victims.<\/p>\n
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau described the shooting as a “terrorist attack on Muslims in a centre of worship and refuge.”<\/p>\n
“Muslim-Canadians are an important part of our national fabric, and these senseless acts have no place in our communities, cities and country,” said Trudeau in a statement.<\/p>\n
Attack on the ground floor<\/h2>\n
Quebec City police\u00a0Const.\u00a0\u00c9tienne Doyon said men were mostly inside the mosque when the shooting began just before 8 p.m.<\/p>\n
The men were praying on the ground floor of the building, while women and children were upstairs.<\/p>\n
\n ![\"CANADA-MOSQUE\/SHOOTING\"](\"http:\/\/usa.timesofnews.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/RSSPoster_PRO\/cache\/f01e3_canada-mosque-shooting.jpg\")
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Some of the wounded were in critical condition. (Mathieu Belanger\/Reuters)<\/p>\n
By 10:40 p.m., police said the situation was under control.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“The building is secure and the occupants evacuated. The investigation continues,” tweeted Quebec City police, who\u00a0are working with the RCMP and provincial police.<\/p>\n
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Police patrolled the perimeter near the mosque after the shooting. (Mathieu Belanger\/Reuters)<\/p>\n
‘A Qu\u00e9b\u00e9cois accent’<\/h2>\n
A witness\u00a0who asked to remain anonymous\u00a0told Radio-Canada\u00a0that two masked individuals entered the mosque.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“It seemed to me that they had a Qu\u00e9b\u00e9cois accent. They started to fire, and as they shot, they\u00a0yelled, ‘Allahu akbar!’ The bullets hit people that were praying. People who were praying lost their lives. A bullet passed right over my head.<\/p>\n
“There were even kids. There was even a three-year-old who was with his father,” the witness said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
![\"Quebec](\"http:\/\/usa.timesofnews.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/RSSPoster_PRO\/cache\/2bdd8_quebec-mosque-shooting-20170129.jpg\")
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People outside the mosque paid their respects. Martin St. Louis holds a sign that reads, ‘La paix non la guerre,’ which means ‘peace, not war.’ (Francis Vachon\/Canadian Press)<\/p>\n
Call\u00a0for solidarity with Muslims<\/h2>\n
Quebec City Mayor R\u00e9gis Labeaume\u00a0fought back tears, saying the city is in mourning.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“To the Muslim community, our neighbours, our co-citizens, who count on our support and solidarity, I want to say, ‘We love you,'” said Labeaume.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Couillard also shared a message of solidarity with Quebec’s Muslim community.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“We are with you. You are at home. And you are welcome at home,” he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
![\"Canadian](\"http:\/\/usa.timesofnews.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/RSSPoster_PRO\/cache\/2bdd8_canadian-press-map.jpg\")
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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)<\/p>\n
Politicians around the world also denounced the\u00a0deadly act.<\/p>\n
“Horrified at the news of a shooting in a mosque tonight in Qu\u00e9bec City. We stand with our Muslim neighbours against this act of hatred,” NDP Leader Tom Mulcair tweeted.<\/p>\n
A message on the\u00a0Facebook page of the\u00a0mosque’s administration said:\u00a0“Thank you for the hundreds of compassionate messages coming from everywhere.”<\/p>\n
![\"Officer](\"http:\/\/usa.timesofnews.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/RSSPoster_PRO\/cache\/d659f_officer-quebec-city-mosque-shooting.jpg\")
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According to Quebec City police, the shooting began just before 8 p.m. ET. (Maxime Corneau\/Radio-Canada)<\/p>\n
Vigils\u00a0across the province have been\u00a0planned for the coming days.<\/p>\n
Security increased around mosques<\/h2>\n
Quebec Public Security Minister\u00a0Martin Coiteux said places of worship across the province have been placed under surveillance, with police deployed close to a dozen of them.<\/p>\n
\n\nPolice are monitoring other Quebec City mosques early this morning. https:\/\/t.co\/ae3EtuaC3v<\/a><\/p>\n
![\"Mosque](\"http:\/\/usa.timesofnews.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/RSSPoster_PRO\/cache\/d659f_mosque-photo-quebec-city.jpg\")
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