Canada Police Chief Rod Knecht
Police Chief Rod Knecht calls the incident worst mass murder in Edmonton since 1956.screenshot/Edmonton Journal Livestreaming video

The shooter responsible for the worst murder in Edmonton's recent history has been identified as 53-year-old man Phu Lam, who has committed suicide after the shoot-out.

A man, who fits the description of the suicidal man, was found dead inside a Fort Saskatchewan restaurant on Tuesday morning by homicide detectives.

Six adults aged between 25 and 50, and two children, a boy and a girl under 10, were shot dead by Lam in what the Canadian police has termed as "senseless mass murder" linked to "extreme domestic violence".

CBC news confirmed with police spokesman Scott Pattison that Lam killed seven people found dead at the home in North Edmonton first, before he went to a home in the Haddow neighbourhood of South Edmonton, where he murdered 37-year-old Cyndi Duong.

Police chief Rod Knecht also revealed that according to his family, Lam seems depressed and overly emotional. "The family was concerned that the male may be suicidal," Knecht said.

Little is known about the shooter and his background and also his relationship with the eight victims are also not clear as of now. Lam is listed as the co-owner of the north Edmonton home where the seven victims were murdered.

He was also the former common-law spouse of Chau Tran, the owner of the VN Express, the restaurant where Lam was found dead. Tran said that since Lam was doing maintenance work at the restaurant, he may have had the key to the place.

Although Lam has remarried after separating from her, Tran claims to have no clue about his new family.

Police said that Lam, who has a criminal record dating back to 1987, stole a 9-mm handgun to carry out the mass murder.