PQ Leader and now Premier-elect Pauline Marois' victory speech came to an abrupt end Tuesday night when she was whisked off stage by her personal security detail.
According to police, an armed man in his early fifties entered the rear of the Metropolis Building in Montreal where hundreds of party supporters were celebrating their minority victory.
The heavy-set man, wearing a blue bath robe shot two people, left the building and then set a fire to the back of the Metropolis. The small fire was quickly put out and policemen who were in the vicinity pursued and caught the suspect and have taken him into custody.
One unidentified victim has died and another is in critical condition and has been taken to hospital.
Officers had initially asked everyone to evacuate the building but that order seemed to be cancelled relatively quickly. Marois came back on stage and casually spoke to supporters. There seemed to be no panic in the building.
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The Globe and Mail is reporting that the arrested man yelled "The English are waking up, the English are waking up ... Yeah, yeah, that's enough," as police officers led him into a parked police car.
Investigators questioned people both inside and outside the building looking for potential witnesses.
UPDATE (Sept. 5, 9:00 a.m. EDT): Police confirmed just after 1 a.m. that a 48-year-old man had been pronounced dead at the scene, CBC reports.
"I would be lying to you to confirm 100 per cent that there was no danger to her or the people inside, but the shot was fired at the back of the building," Cmdr. Ian Lafrenière of the Montreal police told reporters outside the scene.
A 27-year-old man was taken to the hospital in critical condition but is expected to recover, and a third person was treated for shock
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The gunman, who remains yet to be identified, was arrested outside the venue and had his weapon seized after firing it, then setting a fire in a dumpster at the back of the building.
"He shot at least one shot toward two victims," Const. Danny Richer said in the CBC story.
"We don't know what was [behind] that event," he continued. "Our investigators are going to meet with him overnight."
Reports suggest the gunman was from Quebec, but not from the Montreal area. He allegedly entered the building from the back door, about six metres from the stage.