Canadian police say they uncovered a plot to commit a mass shooting in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, The Guardian reports. The plot involved four people, three of whom have been arrested and one of whom reportedly shot himself when police surrounded his house.

In a statement, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said that they had obtained information that suggested a 19-year-old man from Timberlea, Nova Scotia and a 23-year-old woman from Geneva, Illinois intended to acquire firearms on February 14th before going to a public venue in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where they would shoot people before killing themselves.

According to the Associated Press, the 19-year-old man killed himself when police surrounded his home. The 23-year-old woman was arrested at Halifax airport. The AP reports that she confessed to the plot and told officers "that she had prepared a number of pronouncements to be tweeted after her death," according to an anonymous official.

The Guardian reports that the police statement did not suggest a motive, although NPR reports that authorities have said that the plot was "not related to Islamic terrorism."

Two other Nova Scotia men—a 20-year-old and a 17-year-old—were arrested as well, although The Guardian reports that investigators are still determining their role in the plot. The 20-year-old was arrested with the woman at the airport.

The 17-year-old, who was arrested elsewhere, had an outstanding warrant and was wanted "for threatening to shoot up a high school," according to the AP. Canadian police reportedly received a tip over the Crime Stoppers hotline.

Federal Justice Minister Peter MacKay took the opportunity to press for more aggressive legislation to broaden authorities' investigative purview, The Halifax Chronicle Herald reports. "Based on what we know so far, it would have been devastating," MacKay said.

"While this particular incident doesn't appear to be motivated by terrorism," he said, "we believe, in particular, some of the online investigations that are required to avert this type of activity do require changes in the legislation and that's why current legislation is before Parliament."

Update, 2:07 p.m. – CBC reports that police have charged 23-year-old Lindsay Kantha Souvannarath, from Geneva, Illinois, and 20-year-old Randall Steven Shepherd, from Halifax, with conspiracy to commit murder. An investigation into the 17-year-old is ongoing, but, according to the CBC, police say there is currently no evidence linking him to the charges.

Also from the CBC:

It appears at least one of the suspects was part of an online blogging group and the suspects likely corresponded online, MacKay said.

[Image via CTV]