Six people have been killed and eight others were injured after at least two gunmen opened fire in a Quebec City mosque Sunday night.

Premier Philippe Couillard described it as a terrorist attack.

At a press conference early Monday morning, a Sûreté du Québec spokesperson said two suspects were arrested – one near the mosque, and another near Île d'Orléans, east of Quebec City. Police said nothing leads them to believe that other people were involved.

The victims ranged in age from 35 to 60, police said.

There were 39 people at the mosque who were not injured.

The president of the mosque told the Montreal Gazette he received a call around 8 p.m. saying there had been a shooting. He said people were at the Centre Culturel Islamique de Québec for regular evening prayers.

"This is a terrible event," Mohamed Yangui said. "We're in a state of shock, I can't find words to describe it."

Yangui said five people were killed and many others injured. He said men, women and children attend evening prayers.

The mosque has about 5,000 members and is one of six in the Quebec City region.

Last June, worshippers at the same mosque discovered the severed head of a pig left in front of one of the doors, wrapped in cellophane with bows and ribbon, and a card that said “bonne appétit.”

Three weeks later, an Islamophobic letter titled "What is the most serious: a pig's head or a genocide" was distributed in the vicinity.

But Yangui said the mosque had not received any threats recently.

"We have a very good relationship with the neighbours, with the community," he said. "There's mutual respect — and now today we have this dramatic event."

The mosque has several video cameras and Yangui said their footage might be able to help with the police investigation.

A man who said he was a witness to the attack told Radio-Canada two masked suspects entered the mosque. The man said the men appeared to have thick Québécois accents and shouted "Allahu akbar" as they began shooting. He said the bullets struck people who were praying.

Quebec City police spokesperson Étienne Doyon told reporters that police received a first call around 7:55 p.m. on Sunday, stating shots had been heard at the mosque.

Friends and bystanders around the security parameter stood huddled in the cold, incredulous, unable to believe such violence could occur in Quebec City, a city with a notoriously low crime rate.

Ben Abdallah, who often prays at the Ste-Foy mosque, described the event as "catastrophic. We never thought ... but given the hateful speeches all around the planet, it can happen," he said.

Hamid Nadji had friends who were inside the mosque at the time of the shooting. He spoke to them afterward, and described the scene as "a carnage."

"From what we heard over the phone, one person had a weapon discharged in his face because he had wanted to jump on the man to stop him. And the three others died because they wanted to catch the man."

He said the assailant went into the mosque a first time, then left to recharge his weapon and came back a second, then a third time.

"Many of the people who lived through this fled their home countries to avoid such situations, because they lived through trauma and didn't want the same for their children."

A non-profit group that fights Islamophobia in Quebec said it has been asking authorities "for years" to deal with threats and attacks on Quebec mosques.

The Collectif Canadien Anti-Islamophobie said on Twitter Sunday night that the Quebec City attack was preventable but nothing was done.

The Islamic Centre of Quebec said: 'This attack on a sanctuary where innocent people, including children, gather has shaken us deeply. It runs against the core values we hold as Canadians."

It urged "the Muslim community to remain calm, united and know that the Canadian people stand with us in solidarity. We have faith that the great people of this country will stand and work together during this difficult time."

The shooting came two days after U.S. President Donald Trump imposed an American travel ban that has barred citizens of seven majority-Muslim countries from entering the United States.

Montreal police chief Philippe Pichet said the department will be more visible at certain locations, is in contact with the Muslim community and will meet with community leaders Monday morning.

A vigil has already been planned in Montreal on Monday.

On Twitter, several hashtags emerged, including #JeSuisQuébec, #IAmQuebec and #PrayForQuebec.

Witnesses say about a dozen people were wounded and some reports state two of three suspected gunmen have been arrested.

A live video feed on a Facebook page of a mosque showed images of multiple police vehicles and yellow police tape.

Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard described it as "barbaric violence" and saying "the government is mobilized to ensure the security of the Quebec population."

Quebec City Mayor Régis Labeaume said his city stands with the families of the victims and members of the mosque, and will support them through this "terrible ordeal that defies reason."

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo denounced the attack.

Gatineau Mayor Maxime Pedneaud-Jobin said police in his city have increased patrols around mosques in the city.

More to come. </s> At least three gunmen reportedly entered a mosque in Quebec in Canada and opened fired at around 40 people who were there for evening prayers on Sunday, local time. While five of them were killed, several of the other victims have sustained serious injuries, leading to fears that the death toll might rise.

Also read: Trump signs orders on 'extreme vetting,' bars refugee entry from 7 Muslim countries

It is not known yet whether this was a hate crime. The shooting comes barely a day after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wrote on Twitter: "To those fleeing persecution, terror & war, Canadians will welcome you, regardless of your faith. Diversity is our strength #WelcomeToCanada. [sic]"

The incident took place at the Quebec City Islamic Cultural Centre. "There are many victims ... there are deaths," a Quebec police‎ spokesman has been quoted by reporters at saying.

The police, as well as medical and paramedical personnel, rushed to the spot after the incident. Two of the three gunmen were reportedly arrested after the incident, and are being interrogated.

A witness told French-language radio channel Radio Canada: "It seemed to me that they had a Quebecois accent. They started to fire, and when they shot they yelled, 'Allahu akbar!' The bullets hit people that were praying. People who were praying lost their lives. A bullet passed right over my head."

Canada's Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Ralph Goodale took to Twitter to say that he is "deeply saddened" by the incident.

Mosque president Mohamed Yangui, who was not present at the evening prayers, said he had received several calls from those inside about the shooting. He was quoted by agencies as saying that the injured had been taken to several hospitals across Quebec City. "Why is this happening here? This is barbaric," he said.

Incidentally, a pig's head had been left in front of the cultural centre in mid-2016, in what was considered an incident fuelled by hate. Muslims consider pig and pig meat unclean, and therefore shun it. </s> QUEBEC — Police have identified the suspect in Sunday's massacre at a Quebec City mosque as 27-year-old Alexandre Bissonnette.

Court documents show Bissonnette faces six counts of first-degree murder in the attack and five of attempted murder.

Provincial police also say he is the only suspect at this point.

Six people between the ages of 39 and 60 were killed in the shooting at the Centre culturel islamique de Quebec mosque in Quebec City's Sainte-Foy neighbourhood.

Police initially said two suspects had been arrested — but later said further investigation showed only one of them was a suspect.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard have called the shooting a "terrorist attack." </s> OTTAWA (CNN) -- Six people are dead after a shooting at a mosque in Quebec City, according to Quebec Provincial Police. Eight people were injured. The attack, which took place at the city's Quebec Islamic Cultural Center, is being investigated as an act of terrorism by police.

In what was described as a coordinated attack, witnesses say at least two gunmen wearing black fired indiscriminately into the dozens of worshipers -- including families -- in the mosque.

Thirty-nine people who were at the mosque during shooting were unharmed, Christine Coulombe, spokeswoman of National Police of Quebec, said. Of the eight injured, six are described as being in critical condition.

Two people have been arrested, a police press conference confirmed.

The Canadian province's premier, Philippe Couillard, called the shooting a terrorist act on Twitter.

He added that he would ask the National Assembly to fly the Quebec flag at half-staff.

Police said in a later tweet that the situation was under control.

"The site is secure and the occupants (of the mosque) were evacuated. The investigation continues." Police are not ruling out the existence of accomplices.

"Please wait for preliminary results (of the investigation) before circulating rumors," it says. "The situation is very critical. May Allah give us endurance."

Another post showed the center's gratitude for the "hundreds of messages of compassion coming from all over."

At least two vigils, in Quebec City and in Montreal, are planned for Monday.

At least five of those injured in the incident were receiving treatment at the University Hospital of Quebec. Other victims are in hospitals throughout the city, hospital spokesman Richard Fournier tells CNN.

Canada has taken in tens of thousands of refugees, especially from Syria, in the last few months.

Last year, the cultural center received a wrapped pig head and a magazine with a pig on its cover, saying "Bonne Appetit," according to a post on its Facebook page. The post reads:

"We just learned that a gesture of hate towards our Great Mosque took place Sunday morning (14 Ramadan) around Salat Al-Fajr! Police was made aware and opened an investigation! We will keep you updated as soon as we have news..."

Under the Quran, pork is prohibited and pigs considered unclean.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted his condolences in both French and English.

"Tonight, Canadians grieve for those killed in a cowardly attack on a mosque in Quebec City. My thoughts are with victims & their families."

Later, in a statement on his official site, Trudeau wrote:

"It is heart-wrenching to see such senseless violence. Diversity is our strength, and religious tolerance is a value that we, as Canadians, hold dear.

"Muslim-Canadians are an important part of our national fabric, and these senseless acts have no place in our communities, cities and country. Canadian law enforcement agencies will protect the rights of all Canadians, and will make every effort to apprehend the perpetrators of this act and all acts of intolerance."

"Let's unite against violence," the post reads. "We stand in solidarity with the Muslim people of Quebec."

Security beefed up in other cities

South of the Canadian border, the New York Police Department said that it was monitoring the situation in Quebec and has directed that "special attention" would be given to all New York City mosques and other houses of worship, according to a statement.

"Critical Response Command (CRC) personnel have been assigned to extended tour coverage at certain mosque locations," the statement reads.

The city is one of the focal points of protests against President Trump's travel ban, which seeks to exclude any travel from a number of Muslim-majority countries.

The city's mayor, Bill de Blasio, sent out a series of tweets related to the Quebec City attack.

"Our prayers tonight are with the people of Quebec City as they deal with a terrible attack on a mosque," he wrote in one. "We must stand together."

In another he reiterated that his police department would be providing additional protection for New York's mosques, and in a third attempted to reassure the city's Muslim residents.

"To my fellow New Yorkers who are Muslim: New York City will protect you. The NYPD will protect you. We will fight all hatred and bias."

He also referenced a fire at a mosque in Victoria, Texas, over the weekend, drawing connections between the two incidents -- even though police and fire officials have not said there is a connection.

"The awful attack in Quebec is not an outlier," he said. "Today, a mosque in Texas was burned to the ground. We must stop those who seek to divide us."

The Victoria police have yet to reach any conclusions as to the cause of the fire which they are investigating.

CNN's Tony Marco, Julia Jones and Deanna Hackney contributed to this report. </s> Toronto, Canada, Jan 29 (EFE).- Canada’s prime minister has condemned the attack on a mosque in Quebec City on Sunday that left at least four people dead.

“Tonight, Canadians grieve for those killed in a cowardly attack on a mosque in Quebec City. My thoughts are with victims & their families,” Justin Trudeau said on Twitter.

Police in Quebec confirmed that the attack on Quebec City Islamic Cultural Centre caused deaths and injuries but has not provided a specific count.

Local media reported that at least four people died and executives of the Islamic Cultural Center have raised the figure to five.

In recent months, the mosque has experienced acts of vandalism and xenophobic messages.

In June, during the month of Ramadan, someone left a pig’s head with a note saying “Bon Appetit” on the door of the mosque.

“Let’s unite against violence. We stand in solidarity with the Muslim people of Quebec,” Philippe Couillard, premier of Quebec, said on Twitter.

According to the local media reports, the directors of the Islamic Cultural Center said the attack occurred shortly after 8 pm Sunday local time (1 am Monday GMT) when dozens of people were gathered in the mosque.

La Presse newspaper said in its digital edition that at around 9.15 pm Sunday, a suspect was located by police on one of the city’s bridges.

Canadian broadcaster CBC reported that three suspects had taken part in the attack and two have been arrested by police, while La Presse noted that one of the suspects was armed with an AK-47 assault rifle. EFE </s> The attack that killed six men at a Quebec City mosque has stoked Canadian Muslims’ growing safety fears.

Imam Zia Khan of the Centre for Islamic Development in Halifax says some members fear it’s the start of increased violence and are calling for more security measures.

He says news of the mosque shooting has shocked and frightened a minority Muslim community that was already on edge.

He says his local mosque has been targeted in the past with graffiti and hate mail urging followers to leave the country.

Quebec police say they’ve stepped up security around mosques in that province.

Two suspects were arrested after six men aged 39 to 60 were killed and several others wounded during the attack late Sunday in Quebec City’s Ste-Foy neighbourhood.

Last June, a pig’s head was left at the entrance of the mosque, the Centre Culturel Islamique de Quebec.

In Toronto, Mayor John Tory said on Twitter that he has spoken with his city’s police service “to make sure all steps are being taken to keep our citizens safe.” </s> QUEBEC CITY — A man known to express anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim sentiments on social media was arraigned at the courthouse Monday in the deaths of six people and wounding of 17 others at a Quebec City mosque — a rare mass shooting in Canada and the country's first lethal attack on a mosque.

Police identified the suspect as Alexandre Bissonnette, 27, a resident of Quebec City. He faces six charges of first degree murder and five charges of attempted murder with a restricted firearm, according to Quebec City Court documents.

Authorities released the names of the victims as Mamadou Tanou Barry, 42; Abdelkrim Hassane, 41; Khaled Belkacemi, 60; Aboubaker Thabti, 44; Azzeddine Soufiane, 57 and Ibrahima Barry, 39.

A second man who had been held in custody was described as a witness and released Monday.

Five of those injured at the mosque were in critical condition and 12 others suffered minor injuries from Sunday's attack during evening prayers, according to the University of Quebec Hospital Center.

Police offered no motive for the shootings, but Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called it an act of terror.

"We condemn this terrorist attack on Muslims in a center of worship and refuge," Trudeau said in a statement. "It is heart-wrenching to see such senseless violence. Diversity is our strength, and religious tolerance is a value that we, as Canadians, hold dear."

The assault occurred amid a global uproar this weekend over President Trump’s temporary ban on admitting into the United States refugees and immigrants from seven majority-Muslim countries.

The National Council of Canadian Muslims noted an increase in hate crimes, with at least a dozen mosques vandalized last year across the country. However, no incidents of anti-Muslim killings had occurred until now.

It was the first mass shooting in the country since January 2016, when a 17-year-old male in Saskatchewan killed four people and injured several others.

In the U.S., anti-Muslim bias incidents spiked in the weeks after Trump's election Nov. 8 but dropped off after that, according to two groups that monitor such incidents. The Southern Poverty Law Center counted 112 anti-Muslim incidents starting on Election Day.

The Quebec City mosque was the target of a hate crime during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in June. In that incident, a worshiper found a pig's head left at the mosque's doorstep. A note with it said: "Bon appétit," the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reported. Islam prohibits eating pork.

An activist group Bienvenue aux Refugies (Welcome for Refugees) issued a statement that Bissonnette is known for "Pro-Le Pen and anti-feminists" statements on social networks. Le Pen refers to French National Front leader Marine Le Pen, a staunch anti-immigrant politician and top contender in France's presidential election this spring.

Trump called Trudeau on Monday to express condolences about the mosque attack.

The lights on the Eiffel Tower will be turned off at midnight to honor the victims, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo said. She said in a tweet Monday that the action would send a “fraternal message to everyone in Quebec and in Canada.”

Trudeau said "Muslim-Canadians are an important part of our national fabric, and these senseless acts have no place in our communities, cities and country."

In response to Trump's refugee and travel ban, Trudeau posted a message on Twitter Saturday saying, "To those fleeing persecution, terror & war, Canadians will welcome you, regardless of your faith. Diversity is our strength #WelcomeToCanada."

Since Trudeau's party won election in 2015, 39,000 Syrian refugees have been admitted to Canada. Trump's executive order issued Friday bans Syrians from entering the U.S. indefinitely.

Canadian authorities said an increased police presence would be put around mosques after the attack. The New York Police Department said it would also increase patrols at mosques and other houses of worship.

The Council on American Islamic Relations, which advocates for Muslims in the United States, usually receives about 30 reports a week of anti-Muslim incidents but received 111 in the week after Trump's election, said Corey Saylor, director of CAIR’s Department to Monitor and Combat Islamophobia.

“We’re continuing to see incidents but not at that sustained level,” Saylor said. “It stayed pretty intense up until Christmas got started.” The incidents tend to involve verbal harassment and pulling headscarves off of Muslim women’s heads, Saylor said.

Mohamed Labidi, vice president of the Quebec Islamic Cultural Centre, said Islamophobia has been growing.

"It's because the tragedies (terror attacks) that happened in France and other countries, the media always repeats and stresses the word 'Muslim, Muslim, Muslim,'" he said. "I don't blame the media because they're doing their job of informing the public of what happened, but maybe do better to not invite Islamophobia." </s> French President Francois Hollande on Monday condemned "in the strongest possible terms" what he called an "odious attack" in Quebec City that claimed six lives.

Eight more people were injured after gunmen opened fire at a Quebec City mosque late Sunday, a shooting Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said was a "terrorist attack."

"It's the spirit of peace and openness of the people of Quebec that the terrorists wanted to hit," added Hollande.

Canadian police have arrested two suspects following the attack that police are also treating as an act of terrorism.

According to witnesses interviewed on local television, two masked gunmen burst into the cultural centre around 7:15 pm (0015 GMT) on Sunday.

The motive of the attack was not immediately clear. </s> Quebec, Jan 30: Six people were reportedly killed and several injured after three gunmen opened fire at a mosque here, the mosque's president Mohamed Yangui has said.

The shooting was carried out while prayers were being conducted in the mosque. Two people have been arrested so far and the area around the mosque has been cordoned off.

The scene of the crime. Photo courtsey: Screengrab

The same mosque, had last year, received a pig's head gift wrapped with a note stating 'bon apetite.'

The mosque's president said that he was receiving frantic calls from people during the evening prayer. Yangui, who was not at the moque at the time of the shooting said that he didn't know how many people were injured.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took to Twitter to express his grief."My thoughts are with victims and their families," he wrote.

Tonight, Canadians grieve for those killed in a cowardly attack on a mosque in Quebec City. My thoughts are with victims & their families. — Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) January 30, 2017
A gunman opens fire at a mosque in Quebec City, Canada, during evening prayers. At least five people were killed. Two suspects were apprehended; one was later released.