Canada shooting: Nova Scotia gunman 'dressed as policeman' arrested

A gunman believed to be dressed as a police officer has been captured after shooting several people in Nova Scotia, Canadian police say.

Police have not confirmed the number of injuries or whether anyone has died.

Residents in the rural town of Portapique had been advised to lock themselves indoors or shelter in basements while the man was at large.

Police said the suspect had been driving what appeared to be a police car before changing to another vehicle.

They say they were first alerted to an incident involving firearms late on Saturday.

Tweets by Nova Scotia police identified the alleged attacker as 51-year-old Gabriel Wortman.

He was not employed by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police but "may be wearing a RCMP uniform", they said.

The gunman later changed cars to drive a "small silver Chevrolet SUV", police added.

Mass shootings are relatively rare in Canada where gun ownership laws are stricter than in the neighbouring United States.

In 2019 two fugitive teenagers confessed to killing three people, including an Australian-US couple on holiday, in northern British Columbia.