At least one gunman dressed in black army fatigues opened fire in a downtown Montreal college today, and unconfirmed reports say one person has been killed and at least 12 injured, six of them critically.
A man is evacuated as a body lies covered next to a police car during a shooting incident at Dawson College in Montreal today.
RDI Television quoted unofficial sources as saying that 12 people were injured in the shootout. The network said one gunman had turned his weapon on himself and committed suicide. Reports that a second had been shot and killed by police could not yet be confirmed.
"A suspect has been neutralized, which means he is not shooting any more," said Ian LaFreniere, a police spokesman.
Montreal police said they believed there were between one and three suspects.
A health agency official told reporters that at least six people have been taken to hospital, of which three are seriously wounded.
The shooting took place in the cafeteria of Dawson College, in the heart of Montreal, Canada's second biggest city. The college has around 10,000 students aged from 16 to 19.
Television pictures from Dawson College showed panicked students fleeing from the campus and a pool of blood on the front steps of the college.
"I could see him fire several times ... I ran into a classroom. It was like something from a movie," student Michel Boyer told CBC television.
"He was less than six feet tall but I couldn't see his face ... he was completely covered," he said.
"To be getting out through an emergency exit and having police officers and SWAT teams run in and say 'Where's the guy?' holding their guns up, words can just not (describe) how frightened you are."
Mr Boyer said the gunman was dressed in black army fatigues and had been armed with what looked to be a sniper's rifle. "I heard at least 20 shots."