4 killed in Canada shooting, suspect arrested (Lead)

Ottawa : At least four people were killed in a shooting on Friday in the Canadian city of Fredericton, the police said. A suspect was later arrested.

In a post on Twitter, police officials in Fredericton -- the capital of the province of New Brunswick -- confirmed the fatalities and asked residents "to stay clear of the area".

"Please continue to avoid the area of Brookside Drive between Main and Ring Road. An incident has resulted in at least four people killed. More information will be available when we can confirm," it said.

Local television footage showed that the police had cut off traffic on a two-kilometre stretch of Brookside Drive.

A local TV reporter said he heard four gunshots. Video footage of the scene was posted on Twitter, showing emergency vehicles outside a house.

About an hour and a half after announcing the shooting and fatalities, the Fredericton Police force tweeted that a suspect had been apprehended.

"At this time we can confirm that we have one suspect in custody. Police continue to have the Brookside area contained for the foreseeable future as the investigation is ongoing," the Twitter post read.