Two people were killed and six others were injured on Saturday evening in Ottawa during a shooting in a parking lot at a site where two separate wedding celebrations were taking place, according to police who did not rule out any hypothesis.

A witness told AFP, "I heard rapid gunfire and screams, then there was a pause before at least 15 or 16 more shots were fired." Ottawa police stated that two men aged 26 and 29 who lived in Toronto were killed, adding that there are also Americans among the six injured, confirming that their lives are not in danger.

The shooting occurred at 10:21 PM local time inside a parking lot at a convention center in the south of the city, where two separate weddings were being celebrated at the same time.

The witness continued, "There was chaos. People were running in all directions," noting that police quickly and heavily deployed to the scene.

The police have "no evidence" to confirm or suggest that the shooting is a hate crime "related to race or religious beliefs," according to police inspector Martin Grulx, adding, "but we do not rule out this option."

Several Canadian cities have witnessed a noticeable increase in gun violence in recent years, making shootings "increasingly frequent," according to government reports.

Since 2009, the country has seen an 81% increase in violent crimes involving firearms.