A 27-year-old northern Quebec police officer was shot dead while responding to a domestic dispute on Saturday night, and provincial police are still trying to arrest the suspect more than 17 hours later.

The suspect has barricaded himself inside a home in the community of Kuujjuaq, where local and provincial police have now established a perimeter.

The incident started at about 9:30 p.m. ET Saturday, when the Kativik Regional Police Force got a 911 call about a domestic dispute at a home in Kuujjuaq.

When the Kativik officers arrived at the scene and got out of their vehicles, a suspect inside the home started shooting at them, according to Sûreté du Québec Sgt. Ronald McInnis.

Two of the Kativik officers were shot. They were both taken to hospital, where one of them died.

Sûreté du Québec officers from Montreal flew to Kuujjuaq on Sunday, and are now handling the investigation.

Dead officer, 27, originally from Ottawa

The Kativik Regional Police Force officer that died has been identified as 27-year-old Steve Dery, originally from Orleans, Ont., a suburb of Ottawa.

Dery's family asked for privacy when reached by phone at their home Sunday afternoon.

His brother, Ben Dery, is an Ottawa firefighter, and the fire department issued a statement Sunday afternoon.

"On behalf of Ottawa Fire Services, I wish to extend our heartfelt condolences and prayers of support to firefighter Ben Dery and his family in the loss of Ben's brother Steve," wrote fire Chief John deHooge.

"We also offer our deepest sympathies to the Kativik Regional Police Force in the loss of officer Steve Dery. Today all emergency service responders share in this tragic loss. I would also ask that the media respects the families request for privacy during this difficult time."

The injured officer, whose identity has not been released, is in stable condition. "He’s going to be OK," McInnis said.

During the shooting, a woman managed to run out of the house to safety, McInnis said. She was uninjured.

Community in shock, disbelief

As of Sunday afternoon, at least one person remained barricaded inside the house.

Investigators haven't been able to make contact with the suspect since late Saturday night.

A Kuujjuaq resident reached by phone said the village is trying to cope.

"Everybody's in shock and disbelief," said Johnny Adams, a former Kuujjuaq councillor. "We're just praying for the families involved."

The Kativik Regional Police Force was created in 1996 to serve communities in Nunavik, the northern third of the province.

Kuujjuaq is the largest northern village in the region, with a population of about 2,400.

With files from The Canadian Press