A 47-year-old man has died and four others injured after two shooting incidents on Skye and in Wester Ross.
A man has been arrested in connection with three connected incidents in Skye and Wester Ross. He was one of four people taken to hospital.
Police have confirmed that a firearm was discharged in two incidents, in Teangue area on Skye and in Dornie, Wester Ross.
Police Scotland said a 39-year-old man was detained in connection with the incidents after a dozen police cars, including armed response units, and the force helicopter were deployed on Wednesday morning.
Local MSP Kate Forbes said it "appears to be one of the worst days that I can recall in the history of Skye and Lochalsh".
One woman was found injured in Tarskavaig in the Sleat area of Skye shortly before 9am.
Officers also attended two linked incidents in Teangue, also in Sleat, and at Dornie.
Police were initially called to the Tarskavaig area on Skye shortly before 9am after a report of a 32-year-old woman having been seriously injured at a property.
She has since been taken to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow for treatment.
A further incident at a property in the Teangue area on Skye was then reported shortly after 9.30am after a firearm was discharged.
Emergency services attended but a 47-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene.
Officers subsequently attended at a property in the Dornie area in Wester Ross following a further firearm discharge at a property.
A man has been taken to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness for treatment to serious injuries and a woman was also hospitalised.
A 39-year-old man has been arrested in connection with all of the incidents, which are being treated as linked. He was also taken to Raigmore Hospital.
The investigation into these incidents is being led by Police Scotland’s major investigation team, supporting local officers.
Chief Superintendent Conrad Trickett, local policing commander for Highlands and Islands Division, said: “Incidents such as this are thankfully extremely rare but I understand that this will have a significant effect on the local community in these rural areas.
“I would like to reassure people that we are treating these incidents as contained with no wider threat to the public.
“There will a significant police presence in the area over the coming days and we will be working with partners to provide support to the local community. I would like to thank people for their co-operation as our investigation progresses."
The Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) confirmed rapid retrieval emergency teams were called in, which are only summoned for incidents in rural locations when people are in critical need of medical attention.
Large numbers of emergency vehicles were seen around the locations during the incidents, including Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance sent from Aberdeen.
The Scottish Ambulance Service confirmed two patients are in Raigmore Hospital, Inverness, while one is in Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow and another is in Broadford Hospital, Skye.
The services said multiple ambulances, air ambulances, a special operations response team and an emergency medical retrieval service team attended the scenes.
A spokeswoman said four patients were transported to hospital - two to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness, one to Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow and one to Broadford Hospital on Skye.
On social media, Ian Blackford, SNP MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber, said it was very concerning news and that his thoughts were with all those affected. He said he understood a firearm and knives were involved.
He said: "As more details come to light, the response of the emergency services seems to have stopped this incident spreading even further than it did.
"Thank you for the work that you do."
Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross, an MSP for the Highlands and Islands region, said: “My heart goes out to all those affected by these appalling, related incidents on Skye and in the Lochalsh area.
“I’d like to pay tribute to the prompt response and bravery of our emergency services who managed to prevent the situation escalating further. As ever, we are in their debt.”
Local MSP Kate Forbes and Highland Council convener Bill Lobban have also praised the work of the emergency services.
Ms Forbes said: "The tragic news emerging from Skye and Lochalsh is simply devastating. Whilst the facts are still emerging, this appears to be one of the worst days that I can recall in the history of Skye and Lochalsh, and I can only hope we never see another day like it again.
"I cannot begin to imagine what the family and friends of those who have lost a loved one are going through, and they should be in all our thoughts and prayers right now.
"West Highland communities are close-knit, we are warm and welcoming, and this will shatter us to the core. It feels like our very heart has been ripped apart. I, and I am sure many others, never thought we would see such an awful day.
"I would also like to thank Police Scotland and the other emergency services for their ongoing efforts and investigations. I stress again what the police have already said, a man is in custody, there is no further threat to public safety and it is not believed to be a terrorist incident."
Mr Lobban added: “We are thankful to our emergency services colleagues for bringing this very serious and shocking incident to a close.
“We will be providing support to the communities and our partners in every way possible.
“The communities of Skye and Dornie will be shocked and saddened by these incidents and our thoughts are with the individuals affected.”
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