Father charged with 1st-degree murder in deaths of 2 children in Laval, Que.

Kamaljit Arora has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder after his 13-year-old daughter and 11-year-old son were killed in Laval, Que., Monday.

The 45-year-old was also charged Tuesday with assault causing bodily harm of his wife. 

The Laval Police Service (SPL) responded to a call at about 6 p.m. Monday in the Sainte-Dorothée district in the city's southwestern sector, just north of Montreal.

Police found the children at a home on Lauzon Street, spokesperson Erika Landry said Tuesday.

Four people were taken to hospital on Monday evening, including the man, who was later arrested, she said. The two children were pronounced dead at the hospital.

The man was unable to appear before a judge at the Laval courthouse on Tuesday due to his condition. His appearance has been postponed to Wednesday.

Cally Corovasis, a neighbour, says she was shocked by Monday's events.

"The whole neighbourhood is devastated by this tragedy," she said. "You never think that something is going to happen this close to your home."

Laval Mayor Stéphane Boyer offered his condolences to the victims' loved ones in a Twitter post on Monday night.

"All of Laval is in mourning," he wrote.