Baku-APA. Five people died in a school shooting on Friday in Canada's western Saskatchewan province and two others were seriously wounded, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said, APA reports quoting Xinhua.
A suspect was in custody after the shooting erupted in the northern Saskatchewan community of La Loche, about 600 km north of the city of Saskatoon, he added.
"Obviously this is every parent's worst nightmare," Trudeau said, calling it "a terrible, tragic day."
A nurse at the local health center in La Loche confirmed earlier that there were patients suffering from the school shooting in the La Loche Community School.
Local police said a lockdown was in place for much of the afternoon and the public was urged to stay away from the school district.
La Loche Community School is for pre-kindergarten to Grade 12, and houses approximately 900 students in two buildings, according to the school's Facebook page.
"We are in the preliminary stages of investigation," the police said in a news release. "Further details will be provided as they become available."
La Loche is a remote Dene community of about 3,000 people on the eastern shore of Lac La Loche lake in the northern boreal forest of the province.
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03:10
Baku-APA. At least two people were killed in a shooting at a school in remote La Loche, Saskatchewan, on Friday and a suspect is in custody, the Star Phoenix newspaper reported, citing a local aboriginal chief, APA reports quoting Reuters.
Canadian police declined to confirm to Reuters that there was a shooting, but said they were on scene for a serious incident.
A hospital nurse said a number of people were being treated for gunshot wounds, CBC News reported. The La Loche Health Centre and Hospital declined to comment when contacted by Reuters.
Clearwater River Dene Nation Chief Teddy Clark told the Star Phoenix newspaper that the community is "devastated."
La Loche Community School is a pre-kindergarten to Grade 12 school, which houses about 900 students in two buildings.
There was an emergency at the building that houses grades 7 to 12, the school district's Facebook page said. Both that building and the elementary school were put on lockdown.
Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall issued a statement on the shooting but it did not contain details.
"Words cannot express my shock and sorrow at the horrific events today in La Loche. My thoughts and prayers are with all the victims, their families and friends and all the people of the community," the statement said.
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