A shooting near a Toronto street festival killed two men and wounded four other people on Saturday evening, police said, adding that what initially prompted an active-shooter warning was an exchange of gunfire between two people targeting each other.

Toronto police deputy chief Frank Barredo said investigators recovered two firearms after the shooting, which was reported at 8.12pm near St. Clair Avenue West and Arlington Avenue, where the Salsa on St Clair festival was underway.

No suspect or suspects had been arrested by the time of a late-night news conference, however Barredo confirmed both of the deceased were men.

Officers initially urged the public to avoid the area before later announcing the scene had been secured.

“There was some concern about an active shooter. That turned out not to be the case,” Barredo said. But the two gunmen involved in the shooting “indiscriminately put vast numbers of people in danger”.

Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow said: “I’m deeply disturbed and angry about this reckless and irresponsible act of violence right in the middle of a festival attended by families.”

Valerie Rodriguez said she was sitting outside a nearby restaurant when people suddenly began screaming and running. “A bunch of people … told us to lay down onto the floor,” she said. “We got scared because we didn’t know exactly what was happening.”

Festival vendor Patsy Gutierrez said she was serving customers when she saw “a huge wave” of people fleeing. “Everybody started getting frantic and then we stopped serving,” she said. “I don’t think it should be something that’s happening at these types of events.”

A large police presence remained around the festival, an annual celebration of Latin American culture that draws thousands of people to Toronto’s St Clair West neighborhood for live music, dancing, food and cultural performances.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he was “horrified” by the shooting and said ‌the police had his full support in their efforts to apprehend those responsible, in a ​post on X. “My prayers are with the families grieving their loved ones, those who are in critical condition and everyone who has been affected by this ⁠horrific event,” he said.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford said in a social media post that his thoughts were with the victims, families and others affected by the shooting. “I am devastated by the senseless violence at the Salsa on St. Clair Festival that has claimed two lives and injured others,” Ford said.

Toronto, Canada’s largest city, is among North America’s safest major cities. Fatal shootings, particularly those involving multiple victims in public places, are relatively rare.

“Toronto is one of the safest cities in the world but we are 3 million people and unfortunately we are not immune,” Barredo said.