Ottawa police have arrested a male suspect after six people, including four children, were found dead at a home in Barrhaven, a suburb of Ottawa, on Wednesday night.
Police said they responded to multiple 911 calls around 10:50 p.m. and discovered the bodies of two adults and four children inside a townhouse on Berrigan Drive, near Palmadeo Drive. One person was injured and taken to hospital.
The identities of the victims and the suspect have not been released. Police said they are still investigating the motive and the relationship between the suspect and the victims.
Police Chief Eric Stubbs called the incident a “mass shooting” and said it was not a case of intimate partner violence. He said there was no ongoing threat to public safety.
“This is a tragic file … and it will greatly impact the city of Ottawa, let alone the immediate neighbourhood in Barrhaven,” Stubbs said in an interview with CBC Radio’s Ottawa Morning. “So obviously we encourage everybody to reach out and get help to help manage themselves through this traumatic event.”
The coroner and forensic investigators were at the scene on Thursday morning, collecting evidence and examining the townhouse, which has been owned by two people since 2013, according to property records.
The shooting shocked the residents of Barrhaven, a quiet and family-friendly community. David Brose, who lives nearby, said he was in disbelief when he heard the news.
“I’m obviously in shock … it’s tough,” he said, his voice breaking. “I’m just in awe. I can’t believe it.”
Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe expressed his condolences to the families and friends of the victims on social media.
“This is one of the most shocking incidents of violence in our city’s history,” he wrote. “We are all grieving this terrible loss.”
Coun. Wilson Lo, who represents the area at city hall, said he was saddened to learn of the “tragic loss of six Barrhaven neighbours” and that his thoughts were with their loved ones and people close by.