Five people died in a school shooting on Friday in Canadas western Saskatchewan province and two others were seriously wounded, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said.

A suspect was in custody after the shooting erupted in the northern Saskatchewan community of La Loche, about 600 km north of the city of Saskatoon, he added as Xinhua News quoted.

"Obviously this is every parents worst nightmare," Trudeau said, calling it "a terrible, tragic day."

A nurse at the local health center in La Loche confirmed earlier that there were patients suffering from the school shooting in the La Loche Community School.

Local police said a lockdown was in place for much of the afternoon and the public was urged to stay away from the school district.

La Loche Community School is for pre-kindergarten to Grade 12, and houses approximately 900 students in two buildings, according to the schools Facebook page.

"We are in the preliminary stages of investigation," the police said in a news release. "Further details will be provided as they become available."

La Loche is a remote Dene community of about 3,000 people on the eastern shore of Lac La Loche lake in the northern boreal forest of the province

Source: ANTARA