Six people, including the suspect, died and one person was wounded in a shooting at a high-rise condominium building near Toronto on Sunday. A 73-year-old gunman is alleged to have killed his neighbors before being shot dead by the police.

Police said three of the victims were members of the condominium's board. The suspect, Francesco Villi, had been involved in ongoing litigation with the board, Canadian media reported, citing court documents.

Police received a call about an active shooter in the Ontario city of Vaughan, a Toronto suburb, at about 7:20 p.m. ET on Sunday (0020 GMT on Monday), York Regional Police Chief Jim MacSween told reporters.

MacSween said police fatally shot the suspect in a hallway of the 16-story building after he allegedly killed three men and two women. A 66-year-old woman is in hospital with serious injuries. The victims were shot in separate units on different floors, police said.

"Three victims were members of the condominium board but the motive for the shooting remains part of this very complicated and very fluid investigation which is still ongoing at this time," he said.

Canada's gun homicide rate is a fraction of the United States' rate, 2020 data showed, but is still higher than other wealthy countries and has been rising. Handguns were the main weapon used in the majority of firearm-related violent crimes between 2009 and 2020.

Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal government has been trying to tackle gun violence through measures including a ban on the sale, purchase or transfer of handguns that took effect in October.

"To the families and friends of the victims of yesterday's shooting in Vaughan: I'm keeping you in my thoughts," Trudeau said on Twitter.

(Cover: CFP)