6 dead including 4 children in Ottawa mass shooting

Six people - four children and two adults - were killed in what Ottawa's police chief called a mass shooting inside a town‐ house in the suburb of Bar‐ rhaven night.

Calls to 911 started com‐ ing in at about 10:50 p.m., di‐ recting first responders to Berrigan Drive near Pal‐ madeo Drive. It's a residenti‐ al area close to two schools.

Inside, emergency respon‐ ders found six people dead and one injured person, who was taken to hospital.

The identities of the de‐ ceased have not yet been late Wednesday confirmed, police said, and their investigation continues.

A male, who police also haven't identified, was ar‐ rested at the scene about 15 kilometres south of Ottawa's downtown core.

The force said there is no ongoing risk to public safety.

Not believed to be inti‐ mate partner violence

In an interview with CBC Radio's Ottawa Morning, police Chief Eric Stubbs said the force can't yet comment about the relationship, if any, between the victims and the suspect.

He said investigators do not believe it to be a case of intimate partner violence.

"This is a tragic file … and it will greatly impact the city of Ottawa, let alone the im‐ mediate neighbourhood in Barrhaven. So obviously we encourage everybody to reach out and get help to help manage themselves through this traumatic event," Stubbs said.

In a separate interview on CBC News Network later Thursday, he called the inci‐ dent a mass shooting, and said the scene was "horrific."

WATCH | Some of a morning update from the police chief:

'I can't believe it'

After hearing the news early Thursday, Barrhaven resident David Brose came to the scene.

"I'm obviously in shock ... it's tough," he said, his voice breaking. "I'm just in awe. I can't believe it."

Nepean MPP Lisa MacLeod, whose riding in‐ cludes this part of Barrhaven, said the community woke up to shock and grief.

"There are no words for the heartbreak me and my neighbours feel for the sur‐ viving family, friends [and] playmates of the deceased," she said.

On social media, Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe called it "one of the most shocking in‐ cidents of violence in our city's history."

In a later interview on CBC News Network, he said peo‐ ple in the community have been "stunned" by the news.

"In particular I know peo‐ ple are just devastated to hear that children are in‐ volved," Sutcliffe said. "I think that's what's most heart‐ breaking to me and to my family and to all Ottawa resi‐ dents, is to hear of violence on this scale and to know that children were victims ... it's just really incomprehensi‐ ble and unimaginable and absolutely devastating."

Coun. Wilson Lo, who rep‐ resents the area, said on so‐ cial media that he was "sad‐ dened to learn of the tragic loss of six Barrhaven neigh‐ bours," and that his thoughts are with their loved ones and people close by.

Property records show it has been owned by two peo‐ ple since 2013.

CBC is working to confirm more details.