( CNN ) A Canadian man and an American woman have been arrested in what authorities said Saturday was a foiled plot to carry out a mass murder-suicide at a Nova Scotia mall on Valentine 's Day . The alleged plot , to spray a busy Halifax mall with gunfire , appeared to be motivated not by culture or ideology but by a small group 's desire to carry out a heinous crime , according to Canadian investigators . Lindsay Kantha Souvannarath , 23 , of Geneva , Illinois , and Randall Steven Shepherd , a 20-year-old from Halifax , were arrested early Friday , authorities said . They have been charged with conspiracy to commit murder . `` This group has been stopped and Halifax is a safe place , '' said Brian Brennan , Nova Scotia Royal Canadian Mounted Police commanding officer . Police in Illinois executed a search warrant at Souvannarath 's Geneva home and multiple unspecified items were taken , authorities in the United States said Saturday . Authorities received a tip Thursday morning that Souvannarath and a 19-year-old Timberlea , Nova Scotia , man planned to go to a public location in Halifax with `` a goal of opening fire to kill citizens , and then themselves , '' Brennan said . The 19-year-old suspect was found dead in a home , where three rifles were recovered , Brennan said . The dead man was not identified . Another person -- a 17-year-old described as a person of interest -- was released because of a lack of evidence , Brennan said . `` All indications that we 're getting from police is that this was not motivated ... by anything related to terrorism , '' Canadian Justice Minister Peter MacKay told reporters . Souvannarath and Shepherd were arrested at about 2 a.m. Friday at Halifax Stanfield International Airport , Brennan said . The four people were described as friends , and Jean-Michel Blais , chief of the Halifax Regional Police , said the alleged plot had `` nothing to to with ethnic or political considerations . '' The two suspects will appear in court on Tuesday . CNN 's Ralph Ellis contributed to this report .
Canadian authorities say they have a suspected mass shooting at a restaurant . Police spokesman Brian Brennan : ` ` This group has been stopped and Halifax is a safe haven '' A man and a woman charged with criminal damage , another man is found dead , police say .