Four people are dead and two others were injured after a lone gunman opened fire at La Loche Community School in Northern Saskatchewan, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Friday at Davos, Switzerland, where he is attending the World Economic Forum, according to The New York Times.
Confirming the incident, Trudeau called the shooting "every parent's worst nightmare," adding that it is "a terrible, tragic day."
All that is known about the shooting is that it began a little before 1 p.m. when a gunman began to open fire at the school. La Loche RCMP received an alert about the incident sometime after, prompting them to come to the Dene building and begin searching for the suspect. Police gave out little information as the situation unfolded, only warning nearby residents to stay away from the area.
"There is currently an emergency occurring at the Dene Building and we are asking the public to stay away while the matter is resolved by the RCMP," the school said on Facebook, according to CNN. "We will not be allowing anyone in or out until we have a clear idea of what is going on."
Police were later able to locate and apprehend the suspect at 1:47 p.m., at which point the weapon was also seized. Other sources indicate that there was a shooting that occurred at a nearby residence, but its unclear what caused it to spill over into the school,
The shooting has left locals, who haven't seen a shooting of this kind in their community or anywhere in Canada since 2007, with a profound sense of shock.
"Words cannot express my shock and sorrow at the horrific events today in La Loche," Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall said, according to the Saskatoon StarPhoenix. "My thoughts and prayers are with all the victims, their families and friends and all the people of the community."
However, locals say they that believe they will persevere.
"The community of La Loche is strong and closely knit. We have faced adversity in the past and we will persevere," parliament member Georgina Jolibois said.
