The police chief of the Canadian city of Montreal said that a police officer and a civilian were killed and the male suspect was "neutralised" in a shooting in the Cote-des-Neiges borough.
Calling it a "tragedy," Fady Dagher said during a news conference on Monday that "this is one of the very worst nightmares" of his tenure.
Dagher said the shooting began around 11:35 am local time (1535GMT) when officers responded to a call and exchanged fire with a suspect on the street. A police officer and a civilian were killed in the exchange.
"The main suspect has been neutralised," Dagher said, adding that the immediate threat to the community had been contained. He said investigators had not yet determined the suspect's motive or whether the suspect acted alone.
Asked whether the operation was fully concluded, Dagher said: "No, it's not finished. We're undergoing it."
He said authorities were continuing to secure the area, search for other victims and examine the crime scene.
‘Great, great police officer’
Dagher noted that it has been 24 years since a Montreal Police Service officer was killed in the line of duty. Without identifying the slain officer, he paid tribute, saying: "He was a great, great, great police officer, a lot of credibility, and he was so passionate."
A second officer was also injured. The conditions of the injured officer and any other victims were not immediately known.
Earlier, Montreal police posted about the incident and urged the public to continue avoiding the area.
Quebec authorities issued an armed-threat alert, urging residents to shelter indoors as police searched for a dangerous suspect.
Police later identified the slain officer as 34-year-old M. Lamine Benredouane.
Prime Minister Mark Carney said he was "horrified" by the shooting.
