Officials in Toronto are offering their condolences to the victims of a deadly mosque attack in Quebec City that claimed the lives of six people and injured eight others Sunday night.

Mayor John Tory released a statement on Monday calling the attack an “unspeakable tragedy” and urge everyone to “reject all acts of fear, hatred and violence.”

“Islamophobia and acts of hatred and violence against any group have no place in Toronto, and I ask the people of Toronto to come together to support our Muslim citizens and Canadians of all faiths and backgrounds,” Tory said.

“I have communicated with Régis Labeaume, the Mayor of Quebec City, to express my condolences on behalf of the people of Toronto. I have also spoken with the Office of the Toronto Police Chief this morning to make sure all steps are being taken to keep our citizens safe.”

Meanwhile, Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne expressed her sadness over the shooting saying that “no one should ever fear worshiping their God in Canada.”

Law enforcement agencies in the Greater Toronto Area also took notice of the attack.

Peel Regional Police Chief Jennifer Evans issued a statement on Monday calling the act of violence “reprehensible” and reassured members of the public that their safety is of the utmost importance.

“In light of this tragic event, we want to assure the citizens of Peel Region, and in particular those of Muslim faith, that our officers will remain vigilant and attentive when conducting patrols around mosques and Islamic centres,” Evans said.

“It is during these times that we must pull together and work to defend the values that are core to our society, diversity and religious freedom among many.”

Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders also offered his thoughts and prayers to the families affected by the shooting.

Six people ranging in age from 35 to about 70 were killed and eight more injured, including several children, during the attack at the Centre Culturel Islamique de Quebec.

READ MORE: Canadian leaders express outrage and shock at Quebec mosque attack

Official said 39 people survived the shooting. Quebec provincial police confirm two men were arrested in connection to the incident.</s>The lone suspect in the shooting at the Quebec City mosque Sunday night is believed to be Alexandre Bissonnette, a 27-year-old student at Universite Laval who was studying anthropology before switching to political science.

The Surete du Quebec will not confirm the identity of the suspect, who is expected to be arraigned at the Quebec City courthouse Monday afternoon. Several media reports say Bissonnette is the suspect.

But according to real-estate records, Bissonnette’s parents own a home on Tracel St. in the Cap-Rouge district of Quebec City where police conducted a search on Monday.

Bissonnette’s father is listed in the sales deed as an investigator. According to Bissonnette’s Facebook page — which has since been taken offline — his grandfather was a decorated war hero.

As for the suspected shooter himself, his Facebook page does not reveal a great deal about his possible motivations.

His musical tastes appear to range from Katy Perry to Megadeth.

The young man, who dressed up as the Grim Reaper for Halloween, also “liked” Donald Trump, French Front National leader Marine Le Pen and Mathieu Bock-Cóté, a Quebec City columnist known for his pro-nationalist and anti-multicultural views.

A refugee welcome group in the capital city, however, said Bissonnette’s name and photograph were already familiar to them. In a post on Facebook, Bienvenu aux refugies said they learned “with sadness and anger about the identity of the terrorist Alexandre Bissonnette, unfortunately known by several militants in Quebec City for his viewpoints that were pro-LePen and anti-feminist, as expressed in social media and at Universite Laval.”</s>Quebec provincial police now say only one of the two men arrested Sunday night following the deadly shooting at a Quebec City mosque is a suspect in the attack.

The suspect, Alexandre Bissonnette, 27, appeared in court late Monday afternoon and was charged with six counts of first-degree murder and five counts of attempted murder while using a restricted firearm.

He is expected back in court Feb. 21.

La SQ confirme qu’un seul des individus arrêté hier soir en lien avec l’<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/attentat?src=hash">#attentat</a> de <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Qu%C3%A9bec?src=hash">#Québec</a> est considéré comme suspect. —@sureteduquebec

In a pair of tweets sent shortly after noon, the Sûreté du Québec confirmed one of the men arrested is now considered a witness.

Six men died in the shooting, which began shortly before 8 p.m., during evening prayers at the Centre Culturel Islamique de Québec (Islamic cultural centre of Quebec). Nineteen people were also wounded.

Police said it's too early to know the motive.

Witness mistakenly arrested

One of the men was arrested outside the mosque within minutes of the shooting. He was later released as a witness.

He spoke to CBC's French-language network, Radio-Canada, under the condition of anonymity and said he was outside the mosque, shovelling its steps, when he heard shooting.

After the shooting stopped, he went inside and called 911.

"I found [a victim] near the door. I didn't know if he was alive or dead," he said.

"When I gave him my jacket to keep warm, I saw the image of someone with a firearm, I didn't know it was police. I thought it was a shooter who'd returned."

He fled the scene but was arrested. He wasn't released until Monday.

At a police briefing Monday morning, Quebec City police Insp. Denis Turcotte said another man called 911 at 8:10 p.m. Sunday — 25 minutes after the shooting. That man told them he was armed and had been involved in the shooting.

"He seemed to want to co-operate," Turcotte said. The man told police he was parked near the bridge on Île d'Orléans, where he was arrested without incident.

Police Sgt. Christine Coulombe said the men who were killed ranged in age from 35 to 70.

Five people are still in hospital. Two will need more surgery, while the other three are stable and may be discharged soon. Another 14 people have been released, according to a hospital spokeswoman.

Thirty-nine people escaped the mosque without injuries.

An act of terrorism, premier says

Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard called the shooting an act of terrorism.

"It's a murderous act directed at a specific community," he said at a news conference. "I think the majority of citizens — not just in Quebec, but elsewhere — would describe it that way."

Couillard also shared a message of solidarity with Quebec's Muslim community. "We are with you. You are at home. And you are welcome at home," he said.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau described the shooting as a "terrorist attack on Muslims in a centre of worship and refuge."

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

Late Monday morning, Quebec City Mayor Régis Labeaume and Couillard held a news conference and invited several leaders from the Muslim community to speak.

Many had trouble getting through their prepared remarks, breaking down at the thought of the lives lost and the show of support they say their community has received since Sunday night.

Attack on the ground floor

Police said prayers were underway at the mosque when shots were fired just before 8 p.m. Men were praying on the ground floor of the building, while women and children were upstairs.

Quebec City police said they are working with the RCMP and the Quebec provincial police following the shooting at a Quebec City mosque that left six people dead and 19 wounded. (Mathieu Belanger/Reuters)

Quebec City police deployed all available officers, Turcotte said.

Some of the wounded were in critical condition. (Mathieu Belanger/Reuters)

By 10:40 p.m., police said the situation was under control.

"The building is secure and the occupants evacuated. The investigation continues," tweeted Quebec City police, who are working with the RCMP and provincial police.

Police patrolled the perimeter near the mosque after the shooting. (Mathieu Belanger/Reuters)

Suspect a Laval student

The suspected shooter, Bissonnette, studied anthropology and political science at Laval University, according to his Facebook page, which was taken down on Monday.

Police stepped up patrols at the university, as well as at other mosques in Quebec City and elsewhere in Quebec.

Police erected perimeters and road blocks in other areas of Quebec City as part of their investigation. A search was also underway at a home in Sainte-Foy.

'A Québécois accent'

Last night, shortly after the shooting, a witness who asked to remain anonymous told Radio-Canada that two masked individuals entered the mosque.

"It seemed to me that they had a Québécois accent. They started to fire, and as 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.

"There were even kids. There was even a three-year-old who was with his father," the witness said.

The latest information from provincial police, however, is that there was only one shooter.

A few dozen people were inside the Islamic cultural centre of Quebec in the Sainte-Foy neighbourhood when the shooting began just after 8 p.m. (Canadian Press)

Call for solidarity with Muslims

Mayor Labeaume fought back tears during a news conference early Monday, saying the city is in mourning.

"To the Muslim community, our neighbours, our co-citizens, who count on our support and solidarity, I want to say, 'We love you,'" he said.

People outside the mosque paid their respects. Martin St. Louis holds a sign that reads, 'La paix non la guerre,' which means 'peace, not war.' (Francis Vachon/Canadian Press)

Politicians around the world also denounced the attack.

A message on the Facebook page of the mosque's administration said: "Thank you for the hundreds of compassionate messages coming from everywhere."

Politicians and community leaders will attend a vigil in Quebec City on Monday evening. Other ceremonies have been planned across the country.

According to Quebec City police, the shooting began just before 8 p.m. ET. (Maxime Corneau/Radio-Canada)

The mosque was previously the target of vandals. Last June, during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, a pig's head was left on its doorstep.

Quebec City police Chief Robert Pigeon said Monday that police had not established any link between the pig's head incident and Sunday night's shooting.

Authorities are asking anyone with information into Sunday's attack to contact Quebec provincial police at 1-800-659-4264.</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>
• Five people still in critical condition after being operated overnight; Twelve others treated and released
• Victims, all men, were aged 39-60. Police added that 39 others who were in the mosque at the time of the shooting were unharmed.
• After initially saying there were two suspects, police later said there is one suspect and one witness. Both men are previously unknown to police.
• Alexandre Bissonnette is the suspect. He was expected to be arraigned Monday afternoon.
• Police surveillance stepped up at mosques across Quebec and Ontario, Premier Couillard says

A quiet college student has become the focus of police attention after a mass shooting Sunday night at a mosque in Quebec City that killed six people and wounded several more in what Prime Minister Justin Trudeau condemned as “a terrorist attack on Muslims."

After initially saying there were two suspects, police from the Sureté du Québec confirmed around noon Monday that there was only one and that he was in custody. The other is being considered a witness.

Primary attention now centres on Alexandre Bissonnette, a 20-something resident of Quebec City suburb of Cap-Rouge. He is expected to be arraigned later Monday.

Related: Quebec City shooting was act of terror against Canada, Trudeau says

In photos: Quebec City mosque shooting kills six people at prayer

Also: Trump, other world leaders express condolences after Quebec attack

The man who court officials had named as another man involved is now considered a witness. The TVA network said Mr. Bissonnette was the only suspect.

"Six of our brothers... were were assassinated [by shots to] the back while they were praying," said Ben Abdallah, a local muslim community leader in Quebec City, speaking at an emotional news conference with Quebec lawmakers Monday. "They've left orphans. Please spare a thought for them. For the children and for their wives."

Among the men who died was a university professor and a shopkeeper, another community leader said, adding these were men who made key contributions to society. "Each one is a father. I want this humanity [to be expressed]."

Representatives of the Muslim community who spoke at the news conference said they did not know the perpetrator of the crime.

Two history students who said they went to Cegep with Mr. Bissonnette described him as quiet and unassuming, adding he belonged to the school's chess club.

"It's just really surprising," said one, who declined to give his name. "It's scary that it would happen here," said the other, Antoine Cabanac.

A home where Mr. Bissonnette resided in the Quebec City suburb of Cap-Rouge was searched Monday morning, neighbours confirmed. The white and grey two-story house sits on a small crescent just a few dozen metres from the St. Lawrence river. Shortly after noon, a large SUV pulled up and crime scene investigators carried equipment inside.

Police descended on that site as well as others around Quebec City hunting for information in what they described as a large and ongoing investigation.

Surveillance of mosques around Quebec and Ontario has been stepped up, Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard said.

At a separate news conference earlier Monday morning, police confirmed the number of casualties in the attack on the Centre Culturel Islamique de Québec. The victims were all men and aged 39 to 60, police said, adding that 39 people who were in the mosque at the time of the shooting were unharmed.

Many of the witnesses spent the night at a sports centre near the mosque where they were questioned.

Of those taken to hospital, two remained in "very serious" condition that will require significant treatment going forward, hospital officials said. Three others have relatively minor injuries and should recover quickly, they said.

"Two patients have very serious injuries, mostly to the abdomen, and with gunshot fragments elsewhere on their body," said Dr. Julien Clément, medical director of the traumatology department at the CHU de Québec. "They will need other operations in the future."

Investigators do not believe there was anyone involved beyond the two men they had in initial custody. They would not comment on identity of the attackers, motives or methods. Initially, police said the suspects are in their late 20s and early 30s.

"This is an extensive investigation," said superintendent Martin Plante of the RCMP, noting four police forces are working together on the ongoing probe.

"In a terrorism investigation, there are ideological, religious or political motivations at play," Sup. Plante said. "There are activities pursued by individuals that want to cause worry to the public through a violent act."

Police appeared to be in close contact with Quebec City's nearby Laval University but university officials would not confirm unverified information that the attacker was among the students there.

"We are profoundly distributed by these terrorist acts," said Denis Brière, Laval's rector. "I am without words in the face of these cruel events. These are heinous and inhuman acts. Terrorist attacks that we condemn strongly at Laval University. These are acts that should not happen anywhere, ever."

Details of the shooting itself were not clear. Worshippers were at Quebec City's mosque for the evening prayers when the attack occurred. Early reports indicated that two assailants dressed in black and wearing ski masks walked into the mosque and started shooting. Frantic worshippers started calling 911 at 7:55 p.m., according to police.

One witness, who did not want to give his name, said he was in the mosque after the evening prayer when a man walked in and started shooting “everything that was moving.”

“It was someone who mastered weapons because it was calm,” the man said. “He killed and he killed. It was really horrible.”

He said he lay on his stomach near the front of the mosque as the man emptied his weapon. Then, he said, the gunman just stopped and left.

“I’m shocked,” he said. “We thought that here, we were in a safe city, a safe country. But unfortunately that's not the case.”

Police said they intercepted one of the men initially labelled a suspect near the mosque shortly after receiving the first emergency phone calls and arrested him.

The other man initially labelled a suspect fled the scene by car and called 911 around 8:10 p.m. to say he was involved. He stopped his vehicle on the ramp leading to the Ile d'Orleans bridge to wait for police, authorities said.

"He said he was armed and told us about what he had done," said Turcotte. "He seems to want to co-operate."

Ali Hamadi had said goodbye to a good friend and left minutes before the gunfire broke out. He was just home when he started getting phone calls telling him that the mosque had come under attack. One of his good friends was killed.

“He was my friend, my colleague. We worked together in the civil service for the Quebec government. Had I not left early I could have been among the victims,” Mr. Hamadi said.

When Mr. Hamadi went to the hospital and identified his friend's body all he could think about was the grief his friend’s wife and three young daughters will suffer in the days to come.

“Such a tragic event. How can his children ever come to grasp how their father could have been murdered while praying in a mosque?” Mr. Hamadi said.

Quebec’s Integrated National Security Enforcement Team, consisting of investigators from the RCMP, the Sûreté du Québec and the Montreal police service, took over the investigation around 10 p.m. Sunday, when the shooting was determined to be an act of terror.

Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard and Quebec City Mayor Régis Labeaume held a joint news conference at 1:30 a.m. Monday where they added no details about the attack but expressed condolences and solidarity.

“I want to say a few words to our Québécois compatriots of the Muslim confession. We’re with you. You are home, you are welcome in your home. We’re all Québécois,” said Mr. Couillard.

Mr. Labeaume, usually known for his self-confidence and boisterous nature, was shattered. “Quebec City is in mourning, this magnificent city,” he said, his voice drifting off. “I’ve often said that despite the peace we live, we are not immune to the fates.”

Hours after the shooting, the Centre sportif Sainte Foy acted as a hub where concerned community members gathered. Small groups huddled and exchanged information about their missing friends.

Gazi Hamrouni had spent six hours looking for a friend of 20 years.

“He was the first I called when I heard the news,” said Mr. Hamrouni. “His phone didn't pick up, now it's dead and I've been to every hospital in the city, several times.”

He said none were able to provide information about his friend, who wasn't on the injured list.

“He doesn't work Sunday nights so this is the place he would be (the mosque) -- he lives five minutes away from it.”

Abder Dhakkar and four other men standing in the parking lot were frustrated at the lack of communication to the families of victims.

“Shouldn't there be someone we can go to know what's going on?” Mr. Dhakkar said.

Others at the centre were there, they said, because they felt they had to be. At around 4:30 a.m., the final group of people gathered at the sports centre began to leave, some of them getting into the back of police cars sobbing.

“Out of solidarity,” said Lehachie Hakim, a 54-year-old father who was with his two sons when he heard of the shooting.

“My youngest is completely traumatized. He was crying. It's shocking; I never thought this would happen.”

Mohammed Yangui, the mosque president, said 60 to 100 people are usually at the mosque for evening prayers. He was not present for the shooting but spoke to several witnesses.

“A mass shooting. In Quebec City. I can’t believe it,” he said. “We’ve never done anything to provoke anyone, and we’ve never cultivated hatred for anyone. I’m just beside myself.”

Mr. Trudeau said he was being briefed on the attack and was in contact with Mr. Couillard.

“We condemn this terrorist attack on Muslims in a centre of worship and refuge,” Mr. Trudeau said in a statement.

“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.”

Condemnations poured in from around the world as word of the attack spread.

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the NYPD was beefing up security around mosques in the wake of the attack.

“All New Yorkers should be vigilant. If you see something, say something,” he wrote on Twitter. “Our prayers tonight are with the people of Quebec City as they deal with a terrible attack on a mosque. We must stand together.”

French President Francois Hollande has condemned the “odious attack” on a Quebec mosque and offered support for Canada’s leaders.

Hollande, whose country has suffered a string of Islamic extremist attacks, said in a statement that “it was the Québécois spirit of peace and openness that the terrorists wanted to harm” in Sunday’s attack.

The mosque, also known as La Grande mosquée in the west end of the city, has been the target of vandalism in the past. Last June during Ramadan, a pig’s head was left outside the mosque. The head was wrapped in paper and accompanied by a note that said “Bonne appetit [sic].”

In the middle of the night the mosque posted a message on its Facebook page: “All our thoughts for children to whom we must announce the deaths of their dads. May Allah lend them patience and endurance.”

Vigils are planned in Montreal and Quebec City on Monday.</s>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>QUEBEC CITY (AP) – A Quebec court clerk has confirmed the names of the suspects in the attack on a Canadian mosque in which six people died.

Court clerk Isabelle Ferland identified Alexandre Bissonnette and Mohamed el Khadir as the suspects. Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard says the attack is an attack on all Quebecers.</s>Police say six people have been killed and eight wounded in a shooting at a Quebec City mosque that Canada’s prime minister described as a terrorist act.

The shooting at the Quebec City Islamic Cultural Centre in the provincial capital happened during evening prayers on Sunday.

Two arrests have been made.

Prime minister Justin Trudeau and Quebec premier Philippe Couillard characterised the shooting as a terrorist act, which came amid heightened tensions worldwide over US president Donald Trump’s travel ban on some Muslim countries.

Mosque president Mohamed Yangui reported the number of dead late in a telephone call from Quebec City, the provincial capital.

He said the shooting happened in the men’s section of the mosque and feared some victims were children.

He said he was not at the centre when the attack occurred, but obtained some details from people on the scene.

Mr Yangui said about 60-100 people would have been there at the time of the shooting.

“We are sad for the families,” he said.

In a statement, Mr Trudeau said: “We condemn this terrorist attack on Muslims in a centre of worship and refuge.

“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.”

Quebec City police spokesman Constable Pierre Poirier said two suspects were arrested.

Police said the mosque had been evacuated and things were under control.

Mr Trudeau said on Twitter that he spoke to Mr Couillard and was being briefed by officials.

The prime minister said the government had offered “any & all assistance needed”.

Mr Trudeau had earlier reacted to Mr Trump’s visa ban for people from certain Muslim-majority countries by tweeting on Saturday: “To those fleeing persecution, terror & war, Canadians will welcome you, regardless of your faith. Diversity is our strength #WelcomeToCanada.”

He also posted a picture of him greeting a Syrian child at Toronto’s airport in late 2015.

Mr Trudeau oversaw the arrival of more than 39,000 Syrian refugees soon after he was elected.

Mr Couillard described the Sunday mosque attack as “barbaric violence” and expressed solidarity with the victims’ families.

The mayor of Gatineau, Quebec, near Canada’s capital of Ottawa, said there would be increased police presence at mosques around his city and in the US, the New York Police Department said it was stepping up patrols at mosques and other places of worship.

New York City Mayor Bill Blasio said on Twitter: “NYPD is providing additional protection for mosques in the city.

“All New Yorkers should be vigilant. If you see something, say something.”</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</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.
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.