New Year's Eve shooting kills one and injures several others at Calgary house party

One person has died and six others have been wounded after gunfire broke out at a New Year's Eve house party in the Canadian city of Calgary.

One person remains in critical condition following the shooting in the early hours of Thursday morning. Police said they received multiple calls about gunfire at a house party shortly after 5am and that by time officers arrived at the property, the shooter or shooters had fled the scene.

Detective Steve Adair said they found five people at the property with gunshot wounds while another two people showed up at hospital for treatment later on. An autopsy of the person who died is scheduled for Friday and police will not release the identity of the individual until then.

Adair said the party was attended by around 50 people.

Police are still attempting to find out how many shooters there were and a possible motive. It is still unclear who was at the party and who lives at the house, although one local resident told reporters that the people who lived at the property had not been there for that long.

"I think where the shooting happened, they weren't long-time residents," said Mike Dumoncea. "I've seen a few guys coming in and out of that house for the last two or three months but i don't think they were long-term people."

Police have already spoken to a dozen people who were at the party but are looking for more witnesses, particularly from Calgary's African communities, as many people from this group were among the victims.

Quinn Jacques, Calgary's deputy inspector, said, "We want members and leaders of African communities to know that our investigators are working hard to the person or people responsible, but we cant do it alone. We need your help."

Additional reporting by the AP.