Multiple gunman reportedly opened fire in a Quebec City mosque on Sunday, killing up to five victims and possibly injuring many more. The deadly shooting is reportedly being investigated as a terrorist attack.
A witness told Reuters that up to the three gunmen opened fire at evening prayers Quebec City Islamic Cultural Center, where about 40 people were present. According to CBC, there were children among them.
#BREAKING Up to five dead in shooting at Quebec City mosque https://t.co/n0ePTQ9gXg pic.twitter.com/rkeAJKvqW3
— AFP news agency (@AFP) January 30, 2017
Up to five people are believed to have been killed in the shooting, with an unknown number injured. The mosque’s president, Mohamed Yangui, told Reuters that the injured victims were taken to multiple local hospitals.
“There are many victims … there are deaths,” a Quebec police spokesman told reporters. Police are reportedly treating the shooting as terrorist attack.
La police traite maintenant l'attaque contre la mosquée de Sainte-Foy comme un attentat terroriste, a appris La Presse.
— La Presse (@LP_LaPresse) January 30, 2017
“Why is this happening here? This is barbaric,” Yangui told Reuters.
Tonight, Canadians grieve for those killed in a cowardly attack on a mosque in Quebec City. My thoughts are with victims & their families.
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) January 30, 2017
CBC News reports that two suspects have been arrested, and that there were children present at the time of the shooting.
In July of last year, a pig’s head was left on the doorstop of Quebec City Islamic Cultural Center.
We will update this story as more information becomes available.