Police said Sunday they have a suspect a day after an RCMP officer was killed while responding to a call for help from an apartment building in a small, tightly knit community southwest of Yellowknife. 

But the Mounties provided few details about the suspect or whether they have the person in custody, the CBC's Joslyn Oosenbrug reported.

Const. Christopher Worden, 30, originally from Ottawa, had been stationed in Hay River for more than a year.
(Courtesy of the RCMP)

Earlier Sunday, dozens of police officers fanned out across the town of Hay River in the Northwest Territories in search of suspects after Saturday's shooting death of Const. Christopher Worden.

Special crime units, including SWAT teams and emergency response officers, arrived from Yellowknife and Alberta to help in the investigation.

Police received the call for help from the apartment building at 4:58 a.m. local time Saturday, and Worden, who was on call, was dispatched, police said. When police lost radio contact with him, two backup officers were sent and they found him in a wooded area suffering from gunshot wounds. Worden was rushed to hospital where he died.

Police blocked off part of the town as they began searching vehicles, but the roadblocks were taken down Sunday morning.

Candace Walker, who works in a grocery store and was born and raised in Hay River, said it was strange to see officers with sniper rifles, and planes circling overhead.

"I won't let my kids outside. I've locked all my windows and doors, and I didn't want to come to work," she said.

"It's really frightening for people here in Hay River. Many people say they've never seen anything like it," said Oosenbrug, who is in the community of about 3,500 people. "Being such a small town, everyone is anxiously waiting for more information."

But police said at the news conference that there was no imminent threat, Oosenbrug reported.

Killing 'a senseless act of violence': PM

Worden, originally from Ottawa, joined the Mounties in 2002 and served most of his career in the Northwest Territories. He was one of nine officers of the Hay River detachment.

The 30-year-old officer is survived by his wife Jodie and by their infant daughter.

In a statement released Saturday evening, Prime Minister Stephen Harper gave his condolences to Worden's wife and baby daughter, adding the officer lost his life to "a senseless act of violence.

"Const. Christopher John Worden died in the line of duty, doing what he loved, serving his country in the uniform of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

"The citizens of Hay River will mourn this loss and Canadians who knew Const. Worden will remember him for his professionalism and his dedication," Harper said.

Hay River Mayor John Pollard called on residents to come forward with any information.

Grieving residents marked Worden's death with prayers at four local churches.

with files from the Canadian Press