Current:Home > NewsCanada wedding venue shooting leaves 2 people dead, with 2 Americans among 6 wounded in Ottawa-Angel Dreamer Wealth Society D1 Reviews & Insights
Canada wedding venue shooting leaves 2 people dead, with 2 Americans among 6 wounded in Ottawa
View Date:2024-12-24 20:22:04
Montreal - Two people were killed and six others wounded late Saturday in a shooting in the parking lot of a reception venue in Ottawa, authorities said. Two weddings were taking place at the venue when gunfire erupted outside, sending shocked guests scrambling for safety.
"It was chaos, there was no general direction of where people were running, it was just everywhere," Nico, who came to the wedding to pick up his friend, told AFP, declining to give his surname.
"It was rapid shots, and then there was screaming, and then there was a pause, and then there were more shots, probably like 15-16 more shots that I can recall," Nico said.
The shooting began at 10:21 pm Saturday (0221 GMT Sunday) in the parking lot of a south-end convention hall where two separate wedding receptions were being held simultaneously.
Police "said to stay in our vehicles. We could not leave the scene," the witness said.
Ottawa police confirmed that fatalities were of two men, aged 26 and 29, both from Toronto, Canada's largest city.
Police said that Americans were among the six wounded but that their lives were not in danger. Their identities were not released.
"We are in the process of connecting the pieces of the puzzle," Martin Groulx, police inspector, told AFP about the ongoing investigation.
He said police had no sign for now to suggest the shooting was a hate crime "related to race or religious beliefs."
"But we do not eliminate this option," he added, specifying that the investigation had yet to determine a motive.
As of Sunday afternoon, no arrests had been made.
The two deaths from the shooting bring to 12 the number of homicides recorded in 2023 in Ottawa, Canada's capital, which has a population of about one million.
Several Canadian cities have seen a marked increase in armed violence in recent years with increasingly frequent shootings, according to the Canadian government.
Since 2009, the country has seen an 81 percent increase in violent gun crime.
- In:
- Shooting
- Wedding
- Canada
veryGood! (77)
Related
- Unexpected pairing: New documentary tells a heartwarming story between Vietnam enemies
- Floating in a rubber dinghy, a filmmaker documents the Indus River's water woes
- War in Ukraine is driving demand for Africa's natural gas. That's controversial
- New Zealand's national climate plan includes possibly seeking higher ground
- Homes of Chiefs’ quarterback Mahomes and tight end Kelce were broken into last month
- Climate Change And Record Breaking Heat Around The World
- Biden has a $369 billion climate plan — and new advisers to get the program running
- Your Ultimate Guide to Finding the Best Sunscreen, According to a Dermatologist
- Businesses at struggling corner where George Floyd was killed sue Minneapolis
- These hurricane flood maps reveal the climate future for Miami, NYC and D.C.
Ranking
- Sister Wives’ Kody Brown Explains His Stance on His Daughter Gwendlyn Brown’s Sexuality
- Why climate change may be driving more infectious diseases
- Taylor Swift Shakes Off Joe Alwyn Breakup at First Eras Concert Since Split
- The U.K. breaks its record for highest temperature as the heat builds
- Taking stock of bonds: Does the 60/40 rule still have a role in retirement savings?
- How 'superworms' could help solve the trash crisis
- The EPA prepares for its 'counterpunch' after the Supreme Court ruling
- A Below Deck Sailing Yacht Guest's Toilet Complaint Has Daisy Kelliher Embarrassed and Shocked
Recommendation
-
Jason Statham Shares Rare Family Photos of Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Their Kids on Vacation
-
Decades of 'good fires' save Yosemite's iconic grove of ancient sequoia trees
-
Five orphaned bobcat kittens have found a home with a Colorado wildlife center
-
How Botox Re-Shaped the Face of Beauty
-
Wisconsin authorities believe kayaker staged his disappearance and fled to Europe
-
Nuclear power is gaining support after years of decline. But old hurdles remain
-
Florals For Spring That Are Groundbreaking, Thank You Very Much
-
The drought across Europe is drying up rivers, killing fish and shriveling crops