At least five killed in shooting at Quebec City mosque.
DEVELOPING – At least five people were killed when gunmen opened fire at a mosque in Quebec City during evening prayers, the mosque's president told reporters.
A police spokesman said that two arrests had been made in connection with the shooting. The number of injured victims was not immediately clear.
Le Soleil newspaper reported that one of the arrested suspects was 27 years old and had a "Quebecois name." The paper also reported that one of the suspects possessed an AK-47.
Gunfire was reported at the Islamic Cultural Center of Quebec at around 8 p.m. Le Journal de Quebec reported that approximately 40 people were attending the service.
An unidentified man looking for his friends, who were regular attendees of evening prayers, told the paper "I've tried to reach them, but I cannot. It's terrible."
A live feed on the mosque's Facebook page showed images of multiple police vehicles and yellow police tape.
Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard termed the act "barbaric violence" and expressed solidarity with victims' families.
Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale said on Twitter Sunday that he is deeply saddened by the loss of life. His office says no motive has been confirmed.
The Canadian Broacasting Corporation reported that someone left a pig's head on the mosque's doorstep this past June, during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Islam's holy book, the Koran, forbids them from consuming pork.
"We were told that it was an isolated act, but today we have deaths," center president Mohamed Yangui told reporters. "It is minutes and hours of terror and anguish."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
DEVELOPING – At least five people were killed when gunmen opened fire at a mosque in Quebec City during evening prayers, the mosque's president told reporters.
A police spokesman said that two arrests had been made in connection with the shooting. The number of injured victims was not immediately clear.
Le Soleil newspaper reported that one of the arrested suspects was 27 years old and had a "Quebecois name." The paper also reported that one of the suspects possessed an AK-47.
Gunfire was reported at the Islamic Cultural Center of Quebec at around 8 p.m. Le Journal de Quebec reported that approximately 40 people were attending the service.
An unidentified man looking for his friends, who were regular attendees of evening prayers, told the paper "I've tried to reach them, but I cannot. It's terrible."
A live feed on the mosque's Facebook page showed images of multiple police vehicles and yellow police tape.
Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard termed the act "barbaric violence" and expressed solidarity with victims' families.
Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale said on Twitter Sunday that he is deeply saddened by the loss of life. His office says no motive has been confirmed.
The Canadian Broacasting Corporation reported that someone left a pig's head on the mosque's doorstep this past June, during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Islam's holy book, the Koran, forbids them from consuming pork.
"We were told that it was an isolated act, but today we have deaths," center president Mohamed Yangui told reporters. "It is minutes and hours of terror and anguish."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
