At least 16 people have been killed in a mass shooting in Nova Scotia - the deadliest such attack in Canada's history.

The suspected gunman, Gabriel Wortman, a 51-year-old denturist, was dressed as a police officer and had disguised his car to look like a police vehicle.

Police said Wortman killed people in several locations over 12 hours across the rural town of Portapique, and some of his victims were not known to him.

Image: Gabriel Wortman is suspected of shooting a number of people. Pic: @RCMPNS

Image: An image showing the bogus police car used by the suspected gunman. Pic: @RCMPNS

People were shot in their homes and properties set on fire.

Wortman was arrested by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) at a petrol station. Police later announced he had died.


Reports that he was shot dead by officers were not officially confirmed, although police did say that they had exchanged shots with Wortman at one point.

Police have not yet provided a motive for the attack, but have said the case is not being investigated as terrorism.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau described the attack as "unimaginable".

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Mr Trudeau said: "As we know, this is very much an ongoing investigation that's in its early stages.

Image: The attack happened in the province of Nova Scotia in eastern Canada

"As we learn more about this, we'll have to ask ourselves many questions about how it happened and what we can do to keep communities safer in the future."

He added: "I know that the vast majority of Nova Scotians will have a direct link with one or more of the victims."

RCMP Chief Superintendent Chris Leather said that a possible link to the closure of non-essential businesses due to the coronavirus outbreak would be looked at.

Image: Heidi Stevenson, from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, was killed in the shooting. Pic: RCMP

"In excess of 10 people have been killed," he said.

"We believe it to be one person who is responsible for all the killings and that he alone moved across the northern part of the province and committed what appears to be several homicides."

He said the fact that Wortman had a uniform and car "at his disposal certainly speaks to it not being a random act".

One of the people killed was Heidi Stevenson, a 23-year veteran of the RCMP and a married mother-of-two. A second officer was injured.

"Heidi answered the call of duty and lost her life while protecting those she served," said Nova Scotia RCMP Commanding Officer, Assistant Commissioner Lee Bergerman, in a Facebook post.

Brian Sauve, president of the National Police Federation union, said: "Our hearts are heavy with grief and sadness today as we have lost one of our own."

Image: The shootings began in the small town of Portapique, Nova Scotia

The rampage began on Saturday night and police told residents to lock their homes and stay inside.

There were also reports of burning buildings in the town.

One of the town's residents, Christine Mills, said armed officers had been patrolling the town's streets and helicopters were also used to search for the suspect.

"It's nerve-racking because you don't know if somebody has lost their mind and is going to beat in your front door," she said.

Image: Armed police and dogs were used in the search for the gunman

Nova Scotia's premier Stephen McNeil described the shooting as "one of the most senseless acts of violence in our province's history".

He added: "I never imagined when I went to bed last night that I would wake up to the horrific news that an active shooter was on the loose in Nova Scotia."

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said: "My heart goes out to everyone affected in what is a terrible situation".

It is the deadliest shooting since a gunman killed 14 women in Montreal in 1989, a tragedy that resulted in an overhaul of Canada's gun laws.

It is illegal to possess an unregistered handgun or any kind of rapid-fire weapon and to buy a weapon requires training, a risk assessment, two references, spousal notification and criminal record checks.

The largest act of murder in Canadian history was when 268 Canadians were among 329 people who died in 1985 when an Air India plane was brought down by a bomb over the Atlantic.