A mass shooting in a remote part of western Canada killed nine people on Tuesday, including seven who were shot at a secondary school, before the suspect took their own life.The killings occurred in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, a picturesque mountain valley town in the foothills of the Rockies.A total of 27 people were wounded, including two with serious injuries and 25 others with non-life-threatening injuries, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said in a statement.

Canadian media have reported that the shooter was female, but the RCMP declined to provide any details on the suspect's identity in a press conference on Tuesday. Police said an alert was issued about an active shooter at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School on Tuesday afternoon. As police searched the school, they found six people shot dead. A seventh person with a gunshot wound died while en route to hospital.

Separately, police found two more dead bodies at a residence in Tumbler Ridge. This residence is "believed to be connected to the incident," police said. In a statement, the municipality of Tumbler Ridge said: "There are no words sufficient for the heartbreak our community is experiencing tonight."RCMP's northern district commander Ken Floyd said in a statement this "was a rapidly evolving and dynamic situation."

"This has been an incredibly difficult and emotional day for our community, and we are grateful for the cooperation shown as officers continue their work to advance the investigation," he added. The RCMP said officers were searching other homes and properties in the community to see if there were additional sites connected to the incident. Tumbler Ridge, a quiet town with roughly 2,400 residents, is more than 1,100 kilometers (680 miles) north of Vancouver, British Columbia's largest city.

"We are devastated by the loss of life and the profound impact this tragedy has had on families, students, staff, and our entire town," the municipality said. Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney is suspending his planned trip to the Munich Security Conference following Tuesday's mass shooting in a remote western community, his office said.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)