Authorities had earlier issued an emergency alert for multiple shootings in the city of Langley involving homeless people and asked residents to stay away from the area.

“We are actively investigating a series of shootings that has left two dead, one in critical condition and another with serious injuries,” said Chief Superintendent Ghalib Bhayani of the regional Royal Canadian Mountain Police force.

“At this time we don’t know the motive behind this deadly incident, nor if there was any relationship between the deceased suspect and the victims.” A witness saw two black SUVs, similar to those used by police emergency response teams, in a ditch near one of the shooting sites. One vehicle had bullet holes in the windshield.

Police in Langley, a suburb of Vancouver, said they responded to “multiple reports of shots fired with several victims and several different scenes throughout the City of Langley, and one scene in the Township of Langley” and asked the public to remain out of several areas, including the parking lot of a casino and a bus stop.