Gunmen storm Canadian mosque, kill 6, injure 8

At least six people were killed and eight people injured when gunmen stormed a mosque in Quebec, Canada, late Sunday.

Police said two suspects had been arrested, but gave no details about them or what prompted the attack.

“Six people are confirmed dead – they range in age from 35 to about 70,” Christine Coulombe, Quebec provincial police spokeswoman, told reporters.

Mohamed Yangui, president of the mosque, was not inside when the shooting occurred. He said he got frantic calls from people at evening prayers.

The attack, which took place at the city’s Quebec Islamic Cultural Centre, is being investigated as an act of terrorism by police.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau condemned the shooting as a “terrorist attack on Muslims in a centre of worship and refuge”.

“Muslim Canadians are an important part of our national fabric, and these senseless acts have no place in our communities, cities and country,” he said in a statement.

The shooting came on the weekend that Trudeau said Canada would welcome refugees, after US President Donald Trump suspended the US refugee programme and temporarily barred citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the country.

Philippe Couillard, premier of Quebec, said on Twitter that Sunday’s attack “is a terrorist act”, and called for “solidarity with Quebecers of the Muslim faith”.

Witnesses said at least two gunmen wearing black shot at worshippers in the mosque.