In a tragic incident that unfolded on Saturday night, Ottawa police are actively investigating a shooting that resulted in the deaths of two men and left six individuals injured during a wedding reception in the city’s southern region.

Acting Duty Inspector Amy Bond revealed that authorities received reports of gunshots around 10:21 p.m. on Saturday. The victims had been attending the reception, which took place at a convention centre situated in the 2900 block of Gibford Drive, near the Ottawa International Airport.

Approximately four hours after the initial reports of gunfire, the police stated that there were no ongoing threats to public safety.

As of Sunday morning, no arrests had been made, and the authorities had no description of a suspect, according to Bond.

“This violence is tragic. It’s unacceptable,” Bond emphasized, “It’s disturbing for our entire community.”

The investigation remains in its early stages, and there is currently no information to suggest that any specific community was targeted in the shooting, Bond noted. At this point, the police have not found any evidence indicating that the incident should be treated as a hate crime.

“There is no evidence this was a hate-motivated shooting,” the police clarified on social media.

A representative from Infinity Convention Centre, located at 2901 Gibford Drive, directed all inquiries to the police.

The identities of the two men who lost their lives in the shooting are being withheld until their families can be notified. Notably, neither of the deceased individuals was a resident of Ottawa.

Councillor Jessica Bradley, who represents the affected area, expressed her distress at the news, stating, “This has no place in our community. There is no tolerance for this kind of violence, and I hope that those involved and those who may know something share it with the police. And that we are able to solve this quickly.”

These homicides mark the 11th and 12th reported by the police this year.

Authorities are urging anyone with information related to the shooting to reach out to their homicide unit at 613-236-1222 x 5493. They are specifically requesting information from individuals who may have cell phone footage, dash-cam recordings, or security camera footage from the area between 10 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.

Bond emphasized, “If there is any information and evidence that you can provide, please bring it forward because that really does assist us.”