In Canada, two holidays turned into horror. Two people were killed and six injured in a shooting in the parking lot of a reception venue hosting two weddings in Ottawa Saturday evening, police said, not ruling out any leads.
“I heard rapid gunshots and screams, and then there was a pause before at least 15 or 16 more shots were fired,” said 28-year-old Nico, who did not want to give his name. Two men, ages 26 and 29, who lived in Toronto were killed, Ottawa police said. Americans were among the six injured, she said, adding that their lives were not in danger.
“It was chaos,” said one witness
The shooting happened at 10:21 p.m. in the parking lot of a convention center on the city’s south side, where two separate wedding receptions were taking place at the same time. “It was chaos. “People were fleeing in all directions,” the witness continued, adding that police arrived quickly and in large numbers.
Police have “nothing” to confirm or suggest that the shooting was a hate crime “related to race or religious beliefs,” police Inspector Martin Groulx said. “But we are not ruling out this option,” he added.
Shootings “increasingly frequent”
According to the Canadian government, several Canadian cities have seen a significant increase in armed violence in recent years, with shootings becoming “increasingly common.” Since 2009, the country has seen an 81% increase in violent crimes involving firearms.