The northern Ontario city of Sault Ste. Marie was in shock Tuesday after what the mayor called an 害羞草研究所渋nexplicable害羞草研究所� outburst of violence that left five people 害羞草研究所� including three children and a shooter 害羞草研究所� dead and police investigating a case of intimate partner violence.

Police said a shooter went to two homes on Monday night, gunning down multiple victims, before dying of a self-inflicted gunshot. The shootings were 害羞草研究所渢he result of intimate partner violence,害羞草研究所� they said.

The city害羞草研究所檚 mayor, Matthew Shoemaker, said Sault Ste. Marie was 害羞草研究所渢rying to make sense of something that there is no making sense of.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淚t is inexplicable that anybody could do this to loved ones,害羞草研究所� he told The Canadian Press in a phone interview. 害羞草研究所淚t is much more difficult to process and comprehend when it involves children.害羞草研究所�

Police Chief Hugh Stevenson called what happened a 害羞草研究所渢ragic and unnecessary loss of life.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淭he grief the families, friends, and loved ones of the victims are facing is unimaginable,害羞草研究所� he wrote in a statement. 害羞草研究所淎s our community grieves this tragedy, I urge everyone to please watch out for each other.害羞草研究所�

Police said the shootings were not random acts of violence and there was no ongoing risk to public safety. They also said they would not be releasing the names of the victims or the accused because it was an intimate partner violence case.

Police were alerted to the shootings late Monday night, they said.

Officers first discovered the body of a 41-year-old, dead from a gunshot wound, around 10:20 p.m. after someone called to report a break-and-enter at a home, the force said.

The shooter appeared to have fled and about 10 minutes later, police received another call for someone with a weapon at a home about three kilometres north from the previous residence.

Police said they found three children 害羞草研究所� aged six, seven and 12 害羞草研究所� shot dead in that second home and a 45-year-old who was injured with a gunshot wound.

They said officers also found the 44-year-old shooter, who appeared to have died after a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Tyson Jikinosky, who works at an auto repair shop in the neighbourhood, said there was still a visible police presence in the area on Tuesday morning.

He said he learned of what happened by reading the news and said it came as a shock.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 a really, really, really ugly, ugly scenario,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淚 live a few blocks away. It害羞草研究所檚 a pretty small town, so we害羞草研究所檙e all pretty close.害羞草研究所�

The Algoma District School Board said it was mourning the loss of three students in Sault Ste. Marie.

害羞草研究所淭he entire Algoma District School Board community is heartbroken,害羞草研究所� the board害羞草研究所檚 director of education, Lucia Reece, wrote in a statement.

害羞草研究所淐ounsellors and support staff have been put in place at schools impacted by this tragedy 害羞草研究所� Our thoughts and prayers are with all who have been affected.害羞草研究所�

Shoemaker, the mayor, voiced hope that the community would support those suffering in the aftermath of the tragedy, especially relatives of the victims.

害羞草研究所淲e want the family of the victims to know that they can lean on their neighbours, they can lean on their community members,害羞草研究所� he said.

害羞草研究所淚 trust there will be results from this investigation that will likely spur change in our community and hopefully beyond,害羞草研究所� the mayor said.

Premier Doug Ford said the news out of Sault Ste. Marie was 害羞草研究所済ut wrenching.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淭his senseless loss of life has left family, friends and an entire community grieving,害羞草研究所� he wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. 害羞草研究所淎ll of Ontario mourns this tragedy.害羞草研究所�

Police spokesman Lincoln Louttit said investigators had learned more about the shooter through witnesses who came forward.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 crucial to the community that we let them know that this tragic event had taken place. But we also need to make sure that the investigation can continue and as well protect other victims that are involved,害羞草研究所� Louttit said.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e not going to be providing any other details with the investigation at this point.害羞草研究所�

Officers were at both homes on Tuesday, police said, and the investigation continues.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 24, 2023.

Fakiha Baig, The Canadian Press