Canada mass stabbing: 1 killed, 6 injured in indigenous community; suspect dead

One person was killed and at least six others injured in a mass stabbing in Hollow Water First Nation, a remote Indigenous community in central Canada, on Thursday. The suspect also died in the incident, police said.

The community, home to about 1,000 residents, is located 217 kilometers (135 miles) north of Winnipeg, the provincial capital of Manitoba.

"We can confirm that at least six victims have been transported to hospital and one victim is deceased," the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) said in an email to AFP. "The suspect is also deceased," the force added.

Investigators are still gathering details to determine “what exactly occurred,” according to the RCMP.

The tragedy comes two years after a mass stabbing in the neighboring province of Saskatchewan, where 11 people were killed and 18 others injured in the James Smith Cree Nation and nearby Weldon. That attack prompted a national inquiry and renewed attention on crime in Indigenous communities.

Indigenous people account for about five percent of Canada’s population of 41 million, yet statistics show they are disproportionately impacted by violent crime, including homicide.