Canadian law enformcement officials are conducting an intense manhunt Thursday morning after what appears to be a lone individual went on a shooting rampage at a residential area in the eastern town of Moncton, New Brunswick Wednesday night that left 3 Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers dead and at least two more injured.

The Mounties who were killed were gunned down in an ambush-style attack as they responded to calls about an armed man in the area, police sources told The Globe and Mail.

Though such shootings have become nearly an everyday occurence in the United States, Canada has a relatively low rate of gun violence compared to their southern neighbor. According to statistics from the RCMP, a Mounty has not been killed by a gunshot wound in the line of duty since 2007, more than six years ago.

CNN reports:

A man dressed in fatigues and carrying a rifle went on a rampage, killing three police officers and wounding two others.

Early Thursday morning, the shooter was still on the loose.

Residents were asked to keep their doors locked and their outside lights on, as helicopters hovered overhead and the hunt for the man continued.

Police say they know who the suspect is: 24-year-old Justin Bourque of Moncton.

What they don't know -- or haven't disclosed -- is what prompted the attacks.

Paul Greene, an RCMP spokesman, told reporters that Bourque was last seen in a wooded area and that search for him was ongoing.

Updates and reactions to the #monctonshoorting were trending on Twitter:

Tweets about "#monctonshooting"

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