Royal Canadian Mounted Police have arrested a man (24) in connection with the fatal shooting of three officers and the wounding of two others, ending a huge manhunt.
In a tweet, the RCMP said:
Justin Bourque arrested by RCMP at 12:10 in Moncton. He is in police custody. Residents of north Moncton can now leave their homes.
— RCMP New Brunswick (@RCMPNB) June 6, 2014
Resident Michelle Thibodeau tweeted she saw the arrest take place outside her home.
"He was in my backyard," she said. "I saw him arrested in front of my eyes. He is alive. Thank you.
"The swat team arrived at my house and unloaded and started screaming in my backyard for him to surrender and he did. I watched it happen.
"They had him sprawled on my front lawn for some time and then loaded him into the swat vehicle. They are now checking my yard for firearms."
Hunt for killer
Earlier, police released a photo of Bourque dressed in military fatigues and carrying what they described as two "high-powered" firearms.
During the manhunt in the east coast city of Moncton, several hundred police officers wearing tactical gear cordoned off a large area in the city's northwest, including a heavily wooded area, and told residents to stay inside their homes and lock their doors.
The attack was one of the worst of its kind in Canada, where gun laws are stricter than in the US and fatal attacks on police officers are rare.
Canada's Parliament has observed a moment of silence and the flag on Parliament Hill is flying at half-mast.
Police said the two wounded officers had undergone surgery for non-life-threatening injuries. One was later released from hospital.
They have not released the names of the dead and injured victims.
