At least three gunmen reportedly entered a mosque in Quebec in Canada and opened fired at around 40 people who were there for evening prayers on Sunday, local time. While six of them were killed, at least eight of the other victims have sustained serious injuries, leading to fears that the death toll might rise.
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It is not known yet whether this was a hate crime. The shooting comes barely a day after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wrote on Twitter: "To those fleeing persecution, terror & war, Canadians will welcome you, regardless of your faith. Diversity is our strength #WelcomeToCanada. [sic]"
Trudeau himself said in a statement later: "It was with tremendous shock, sadness and anger that I heard of this evening's tragic and fatal shooting at the Centre culturel islamique de Québec located in the Ste-Foy neighbourhood of the city of Québec. We condemn this terrorist attack on Muslims in a centre of worship and refuge."
'Many victims'
The incident took place at the Quebec City Islamic Cultural Centre. "There are many victims ... there are deaths," a Quebec police spokesman has been quoted by reporters at saying.
The police, as well as medical and paramedical personnel, rushed to the spot after the incident. Two of the three gunmen were reportedly arrested after the incident, and are being interrogated.
A witness told French-language radio channel Radio Canada: "It seemed to me that they had a Quebecois accent. They started to fire, and when they shot they yelled, 'Allahu akbar!' The bullets hit people that were praying. People who were praying lost their lives. A bullet passed right over my head."
Canada's Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Ralph Goodale took to Twitter to say that he is "deeply saddened" by the incident.
'This is barbaric'
Mosque president Mohamed Yangui, who was not present at the evening prayers, said he had received several calls from those inside about the shooting. He was quoted by agencies as saying that the injured had been taken to several hospitals across Quebec City. "Why is this happening here? This is barbaric," he said.
Incidentally, a pig's head had been left in front of the cultural centre in mid-2016, in what was considered an incident fuelled by hate. Muslims consider pig and pig meat unclean, and therefore shun it.
