At least nine people, including seven at a secondary school, were killed in a mass shooting event at a remote part of western Canada Tuesday.
The killings occurred in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, a picturesque mountain valley town in the foothills of the Rockies.
A total of 27 people were wounded, including two with serious injuries and 25 others who suffered non-life-threatening injuries, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said in a statement.
Canadian media have reported that the shooter was female, but the RCMP declined to provide any details on the suspect's identity in a press conference Tuesday.
Police said an alert was issued about an active shooter at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School Tuesday afternoon.
As police searched the school, they found six people shot dead. A seventh person with a gunshot wound died while en route to the hospital.
Separately, police found two more dead bodies at a residence in Tumbler Ridge.
This residence is "believed to be connected to the incident," police said.
At the school, "an individual believed to be the shooter was also found deceased with what appears to be a self-inflicted injury," police said.
In a statement, the municipality of Tumbler Ridge said: "There are no words sufficient for the heartbreak our community is experiencing tonight."
Tumbler Ridge student Darian Quist told the public broadcaster CBC that he was in his mechanics class when there was an announcement that the school was in lockdown.
He said that initially he "didn't think anything was going on," but started receiving "disturbing" photos about the carnage at the school.
Then "it set in what was happening," Quist said.
He said he stayed in lockdown for more than two hours when police stormed in, ordering everyone to put their hands up before escorting them out of the school.
Darian's mother, Shelley Quist, also interviewed, said she embraced her son when they finally connected after the site was declared safe.
"He's not going to be out of my sight for a while now," she told the CBC.
Prime Minister Mark Carney said he was "devastated" by the "horrific" shooting.
"My prayers and deepest condolences are with the families and friends who have lost loved ones to these horrific acts of violence," Carney said in a social media post.
British Columbia Premier David Eby called the violence "unimaginable."
Mass shootings are extremely rare in Canada, but 11 people were killed in Vancouver in April during a vehicle attack that targeted a Filipino cultural festival.
RCMP's northern district commander Ken Floyd described the incident as "a rapidly evolving and dynamic situation."
"This has been an incredibly difficult and emotional day for our community, and we are grateful for the cooperation shown as officers continue their work to advance the investigation," he added.
The RCMP said officers were searching other homes and properties in the community to see if there were additional sites connected to the incident.
Tumbler Ridge, a quiet town with roughly 2,400 residents, is more than 1,100 kilometers (680 miles) north of Vancouver, British Columbia's largest city.
"We are devastated by the loss of life and the profound impact this tragedy has had on families, students, staff, and our entire town," the municipality said.
Federal opposition leader Pierre Poilievre called it a "senseless act of violence."
