At least nine people have been killed at a high school and a residential property in the Canadian province of British Columbia, police said Tuesday, in one of the country's deadliest mass shootings in decades.
Police responded to reports of an active shooter at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School around 1:20 p.m. Tuesday local time, where they found six people dead and dozens injured, according to a statement from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).
Another person died while being transported to hospital, the RCMP said.
The suspected shooter was also found deceased with "what appears to be a self-inflicted injury," according to the statement.
Two victims have been airlifted to hospital with serious or life-threatening injuries. About 25 other people with non-life-threatening injuries are being treated at a local medical centre, police said.
Two additional people were found dead at a residence believed to be connected to the incident, police said in a statement.
"Officers are conducting further searches of additional homes and properties to determine whether anyone else may be injured or otherwise linked to today's events," the statement said.
Tumbler Ridge is a rural town of about 2,400 people at the base of the Rocky Mountains in western Canada, about 680 kilometers (422 miles) from the US border.
Mass shootings are extraordinarily rare in Canada, which has much stricter gun laws than the US.
According to theSmall Arms Research project, there are 121 firearms for every 100 residents in the US compared to an estimated 35 guns per 100 residents in Canada.
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Police do not believe there is any ongoing threat to the public. An earlier emergency alert asking the public to shelter in place was lifted at 5:45 p.m. local time.
Tumbler Ridge Secondary School has 175 students from Grades 7 to 12, according to the province's website.
"Due to the tragic events that unfolded in community of Tumbler Ridge today, Tumbler Ridge Secondary School and Tumbler Ridge Elementary School will be closed for the rest of the week," a notice on the website says.
Police are now investigating what led to the shooting.
"The swift cooperation from the school, first responders, and the community played a critical role in our response," Superintendent Ken Floyd, North District Commander said in a statement extending sympathy to those impacted.
Larry Neufeld, the provincial member of parliament for Peace River South, which encompasses Tumbler Ridge, called the shooting "tragic and deeply disturbing" in a statement posted to social media.
"This is a small, close-knit town, and the impact of an event like this is felt by everyone," Neufeld said.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
CNN's Hira Humayun contributed reporting.
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