Crossbow attack kills three in Toronto

The officers found the victims at the garage entrance and driveway of a suburban Toronto home, local media reported on Thursday. Two men and a woman died in the attack, and another person is reportedly injured.

Investigators found a crossbow nearby and the victims' wounds appeared to be consistent with the bolts fired by the weapon, according to police. A 35-year old man was taken into custody after the incident, but the investigation is still in very early stages, officials said.

"We don't have any idea with regards to why this may have happened," said police spokesman David Hopkinson.

Crossbows deadlier than ever

Only hours after the alleged homicide, police blocked off an area in downtown Toronto and evacuated an apartment building over a suspicious package found in one of the units.

The authorities claim the bomb scare was linked to the suspected murders, but they have refused to provide details on the link or the object's content.

Despite their ancient origins, modern crossbows boast high power and accuracy and are often used for hunting. In turn, they are much slower to reload compared to firearms.

No license is needed when buying a crossbow in Canada.

In 2010, a man killed used a crossbow to shoot his father in a Toronto public library before smashing his victim's head with a hammer.

dj/rg (Reuters, AFP, AP)