Multiple people have been violently stabbed in Vancouver, Canada, this afternoon - sparking police to shoot the knifeman.

Vancouver Police said in a statement at around 12pm local time: "Vancouver Police are responding to a violent incident near Robson and Hamilton. A number of people have been stabbed, and the suspect has been shot by police. We’ll provide more info when it’s available."

Witnesses told how shots had been fired near a 7-Eleven store near the Vancouver Central Public Library, CBC News reports. They added that two people were taken away in ambulances.

The Vancouver Police Department (VPD) remain on scene near the intersection of Robson and Hamilton streets.

The knifeman was shot dead by police (
Image:
Getty Images)

Distressing footage which appears to have been filmed in the aftermath of the attack shows emergency service staff administering CPR to at least one victim as they are being pulled away on a stretcher towards an ambulance van.

The exact number of victims, as well as the knifeman's motive, remain unclear at this stage. Local news reports that the 7-Eleven at Robson and Hamilton appears to be the central focus of the activity, with multiple businesses to the left of the store on Robson cordoned off.

A large crowd and significant police presence, including mounted police officers, are currently on scene.

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