One soldier is shot at War Memorial. Multiple shooters suspected. National Post has live updates:
Soldier shot outside of Parliament, one gunman ‘killed,’ but ‘multiple shooters’ suspected
John Ivison, Justin Ling, Josh Visser, Jake Edmiston, National Post Staff | October 22, 2014 | Last Updated: Oct 22 1:45 PM ET
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Wayne Cuddington/Postmedia News A soldier has been shot at the Cenotaph in Ottawa on October 22, 2014.
Ottawa shooting wounds Canadian soldier at War Memorial
A soldier was shot at the National War Memorial by an unknown assailant Wednesday morning and there are reports of 30 to 50 shots of gunfire inside the halls of Parliament before the gunman was killed.
Employment Minister Jason Kenney tweeted that the soldier has died and offered his condolences. Multiple media reports have also confirmed the death, although police and DND have not.
The soldier is believed to be a reservist from Hamilton, Ontario.
The situation remains very active as police gave said they cannot confirm the number of shooters, just that it is more than one. Police have not confirmed if a gunman was killed, although some MPs have.
“Gunman at Parliament’s Centre Block has been shot and killed,” Conservative MP Bernard Trottier tweeted at 10:30 a.m. Tory MP Bob Zimmer also reported the same.
Police have expanded their perimeter and have confirmed there has been shootings in three areas, the National War Memorial, in Parliament and near the Rideau Centre, a nearby shopping centre. The Rideau Centre said no shots were taken within the mall.
Police teams enter Centre Block at Parliament Hill in Ottawa on on Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2014. A gunman opened fire at the National War Memorial, wounding a soldier, then moved to nearby Parliament Hill and wounded a security guard before he was shot, reportedly by Parliament's sergeant-at-arms.
Around 1:40 p.m., a security alert warned that all buildings in the Parliamentary precinct were still on lockdown.
“This means stay in your office, with the doors locked and away from the windows. If your door does not lock, find a way to barricade the door, if possible,” read the alert, circulated by email. “Do not open the door under any circumstances. Security Services has the required keys.”
Police are also asking citizens to not tweet the locations of the officers involved as the RCMP describes the situation as “on-going.”
Two sources told The Canadian Press that Kevin Vickers, the sergeant-at-arms for the House of Commons and 29-year RCMP veteran, shot a gunman. Both CBC and CTV are reporting a single gunman has been confirmed dead.
Ottawa Civic hospital received two new patients at about noon, one with gunshot wounds and the other with unknown injuries. Both have been reported to be in stable condition.
The hospital was not commenting on the condition of the soldier.
In video taken within Parliament at about 10 a.m., about a dozen gunshots can be heard within the halls.
Witnesses reported hearing shots in different corridors of Parliament and some fled the building by using the scaffolding erected for renovations.
Several medics were performing CPR on the soldier before he was taken away by ambulance. CTV is reporting the soldier is still alive.
“There is a shooter on the loose,” a police officer in the area told the Post‘s John Ivison, shortly after 10 a.m.
A woman gives mouth to mouth to a fallen soldier at the War Memorial as police respond to an apparent terrorist attack in Ottawa.
A Toyota Corolla, with no plates on it, was left outside of Parliament Hill. Multiple witnesses said they saw a gunman get out of it and attack the soldier. Bomb locating robots have been deployed by police near the car.
Witness Scott Walsh told the Canadian Press he was working near the East Block when he saw a man with long, black hair, his face covered with a white scarf and wearing a black jacket.
“He had a double-barrelled shotgun, he was about five feet from me, and he ran right beside us, ran past the woman with the stroller and child,” he said.
Walsh said the gunman then hijacked a dark car at gunpoint and started driving towards the Peace Tower.
Chuck Bronley of Ottawa said he was certain the victim was one of the ceremonial guards at the War Memorial.
In a brief statement the PMO said: “Earlier today there was an attack at the National War Memorial and on Parliament Hill. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those who were attacked.
“The Prime Minister will make a statement later today. Details to follow later.”
Harper cancelled his much-anticipated Toronto engagement with Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai, his spokesman Carl Vallée said around noon Tuesday.
The White House was trying to arrange a phone call between Harper and U.S. President Barack Obama, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Wednesday afternoon.
Reports of at least one active shooter sparked chaos in Canada’s Parliament as MPs — and the Prime Minister — met just steps away from where a gunmen opened fire.
Reporters and staffers grabbing breakfast and coffee were ushered in to the fifth floor cafeteria as security confirmed that there was an active shooter on the 2nd floor.
RCMP intervention team members walk past a gate on Parliament hill in Ottawa Wednesday Oct.22, 2014. A Canadian soldier standing guard at the National War Memorial in Ottawa has been shot by an unknown gunman and there are reports of gunfire inside the halls of Parliament.
In a brief statement the PMO said: “Earlier today there was an attack at the National War Memorial and on Parliament Hill. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those who were attacked.
“The Prime Minister will make a statement later today. Details to follow later.”
Harper cancelled his much-anticipated Toronto engagement with Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai, his spokesman Carl Vallée said around noon Tuesday.
The White House was trying to arrange a phone call between Harper and U.S. President Barack Obama, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Wednesday afternoon.
Reports of at least one active shooter sparked chaos in Canada’s Parliament as MPs — and the Prime Minister — met just steps away from where a gunmen opened fire.
Reporters and staffers grabbing breakfast and coffee were ushered in to the fifth floor cafeteria as security confirmed that there was an active shooter on the 2nd floor.
Huddled into a corner, with some staffers chanting prayers and others trying to laugh off the fear, two dozen Parliament Hill workers rapidly checked Twitter as reports circulated that one or two gunmen may still be on the loose.
Many reporters had been in the Hall of Honour — not far from where the gunman later opened fire — when the first shooting occurred. Parliament Hill then went on lockdown.
For the staffers huddled there, it was impossible to know the situation. Reports circulated of active shooters as cooks, unarmed security and an assortment of others huddled under counters.
A Liberal party staffer locked in an office on Parliament Hill said Justin Trudeau was in Centre Block for a 10 a.m. caucus meeting when shots broke out.
“I don’t know where he is, but I’m told he’s in a secure location,” the staffer said around 11 a.m.
An RCMP intervention team run next to a Parliament building in Ottawa Wednesday Oct.22, 2014. A Canadian soldier standing guard at the National War Memorial in Ottawa has been shot by an unknown gunman and there are reports of gunfire inside the halls of Parliament.
Ottawa police say they received a report of gunfire at 9:52 a.m.
The RCMP is advising Ottawa residents “to stay away from windows and off roofs due to [the] ongoing police incident.”
All Ottawa police stations have been closed as a result of the shooting. Military bases throughout Canada have also been placed under lockdown.
The incident comes two days after a Canadian soldier was struck by a car and killed in Quebec by a man with jihadist sympathies. The gunman was later killed by police.
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