A small community in northern Saskatchewan is reeling after shootings at two locations — including a school — left four people dead.

Several others were wounded in the violence in La Loche, which has a population of about 3,000 people.

"I feel like I'm in a nightmare and I want to wake up," said Diane Janvier, who told CBC News that one of the victims was her niece.

RCMP confirmed the deaths during a news conference Friday night in Regina, and added that a male suspect was in custody and the immediate threat was over.

"There's no risk to public safety at this time," Chief Supt. Maureen Levy, a senior officer for the Saskatchewan RCMP, said, adding she could not provide details on the number of people wounded or the nature of their injuries.

"This is truly a tragedy."

Community members held vigils Friday night outside the school and at a local church to mourn for the victims.

"There were candles all over the parking lot of the school," CBC's Devin Heroux said.

Levy said two locations were at the centre of their investigation, including the high school and a place on the 300 block of Dene Crescent in La Loche.

Teddy Clark, chief of the neighbouring Clearwater River Dene Nation received a text message from his daughter about the shootings while he was at a meeting in Saskatoon.

The message read, "Dad there's been a shooting at the school."

"I immediately called her," he said and, after learning she was at home, told her to stay there.

Earlier Friday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he had been told five died in the shooting.

Levy told reporters in Regina that the investigation was in its early stages and she was not ready to disclose much more information.

"I cannot release the identity of the victims as the investigation is ongoing," she said. "In addition to those confirmed deceased, a number of people have been injured. We do not have information about the type or extent of their injuries."

According to eyewitnesses, a shooter approached the school (with grades 7 to 12) and shots were fired outside and inside the building.

"I ran outside the school," Noel Desjarlais, a Grade 10 student at the school, told CBC News. "There was lots of screaming. There was about six, seven shots before I got outside. I believe there was more shots by the time I did get out."

RCMP said a male suspect was apprehended at 1:47 p.m. CST Friday, outside the school. (Canadian Press)

"Myself I'm fine," he said. "I ended up running and telling people [to] get out the doors."

RCMP in Saskatchewan said they were called about "an active shooter" at 1 p.m. CST and said they had a suspect in custody 45 minutes later.

The suspect was arrested outside the school and a firearm was seized. Another school in the community, for elementary grades, was also put under a lockdown. Levy said the lockdown had been lifted.

"We have no idea what happened and how it happened and why it happened," Kevin Janvier, acting mayor of La Loche, said Friday afternoon. "It's something we should never hear of happening and it's happened today."

He said people were gathering at the community hall where grief counselling would be available.

"Obviously this is every parent's worst nightmare," Trudeau said Friday in a brief statement from Davos, Switzerland. "The community is reeling and all of us across this country, [our] hearts are going out to the families and to the whole community."

(CNN) —Police arrested a suspect in a shooting that left four people dead in a small town in northern Saskatchewan, Canadian authorities said.

A call came in Friday afternoon about a shooting at a school in La Loche, said Maureen Levy, chief superintendent of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Officers went to the La Loche Community School, arrested a suspect and seized his weapon, he said. In addition to the school, police are investigating a shooting at a residence in the town of about 2,600 people, Levy said.

"The country's heart is breaking," Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said after the shooting.

Noel Desjarlais-Thomas, 16, told the Star Phoenix newspaper he was returning from lunch when gunfire erupted at the school.

Fleeing friends warned him to get out.

"Run, bro, run!" his friends said as they scuttled past him.

"There's a shotgun! There's a shotgun! They were just yelling to me. And then I was hearing those shots, too. So of course I started running."

School coordinator Norma Janvier told the Star Phoenix she was in her office when she heard shots.

"I didn't know what was going on," she said. "I thought the kids were just playing around or something, like a locker slamming and stuff."

She said another teacher stopped her from leaving the office so she waited until someone said it was safe.

"All I heard was cops running around in the school," she said.

Levy declined to provide details on the suspect or victims, whether they were students and what kind of weapon was used, citing the integrity of the investigation.

"This is every parent's worst nightmare," Trudeau said. "A terrible, tragic day."

The school teaches prekindergarten to 12th grade, and houses about 900 students in two buildings, its Facebook page says.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police and emergency personnel responded to the shooting.

"Words cannot express my shock and sorrow at the horrific events today in La Loche," Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall said.

"My thoughts and prayers are with all the victims, their families and friends and all the people of the community."