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| Ottawa shooting: Terror strikes Canada’s capital as attacks leave one soldier and one suspect dead in gunfight | |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Terror arrived at the doors of the Canadian government on Wednesday, as at least one gunman mounted a murderous attack in the heart of Ottawa. | Terror arrived at the doors of the Canadian government on Wednesday, as at least one gunman mounted a murderous attack in the heart of Ottawa. |
| An attacker shot and killed a soldier guarding the National War Memorial. A gunman then raced into the parliament building, where witnesses said up to 50 shots were fired before he was himself shot dead by the House of Commons Sergeant-at-Arms, Kevin Vickers. The dead shooter was named by an official as 32-year-old Canadian national Michael Zehaf-Bibeau. | An attacker shot and killed a soldier guarding the National War Memorial. A gunman then raced into the parliament building, where witnesses said up to 50 shots were fired before he was himself shot dead by the House of Commons Sergeant-at-Arms, Kevin Vickers. The dead shooter was named by an official as 32-year-old Canadian national Michael Zehaf-Bibeau. |
| Police had been scouring the centre of Ottawa for as many as two other possible gunmen, saying they could not yet confirm that the man who had shot the soldier was the same person who later attacked the parliament, but the restrictions were later lifted. | |
| In a televised address late on Wednesday, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen said: "We will not be intimidated. Canada will never be intimidated. | |
| "In fact this will lead us to strengthen our resolve and redouble our efforts... to take all necessary steps to identify and counter threats and keep Canada safe." | |
| The dead soldier was identified as Cpl Nathan Cirillo, a 24-year-old reservist with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, based in Hamilton, Ontario. | |
| Though there was no immediate evidence that the incident was a co-ordinated terrorist attack, it came just days after Canada raised its terrorism alert level, and followed the death on Monday of another soldier, killed in a hit-and-run attack in Quebec by a man with suspected jihadist sympathies. | Though there was no immediate evidence that the incident was a co-ordinated terrorist attack, it came just days after Canada raised its terrorism alert level, and followed the death on Monday of another soldier, killed in a hit-and-run attack in Quebec by a man with suspected jihadist sympathies. |
| Other nations including the UK have also been on heightened alert, in response to the violent spread of Isis across swathes of Iraq and Syria. Canada is among the countries that joined the US-led coalition to combat Isis, with Canadian aircraft due to participate in the bombing campaign against the extremists. | Other nations including the UK have also been on heightened alert, in response to the violent spread of Isis across swathes of Iraq and Syria. Canada is among the countries that joined the US-led coalition to combat Isis, with Canadian aircraft due to participate in the bombing campaign against the extremists. |
| Mr Harper paid tribute to Cpl Cirillo, those that came to his aid and the security services after a second deadly attack in three days. | |
| "This is a grim reminder that Canada is not immune to the types of terrorist attacks we have seen elsewhere around the world. But let there be no misunderstanding: we will not be intimidated. This will lead us to strengthen our resolve and redouble our efforts... to take all necessary steps to identify and counter threats to keep Canada safe," he said. | "This is a grim reminder that Canada is not immune to the types of terrorist attacks we have seen elsewhere around the world. But let there be no misunderstanding: we will not be intimidated. This will lead us to strengthen our resolve and redouble our efforts... to take all necessary steps to identify and counter threats to keep Canada safe," he said. |
| He also pledged to "to work with our allies around the world and fight against the terrorist organisations who brutalise those in other countries in the hope of bringing their savagery to our shores." | He also pledged to "to work with our allies around the world and fight against the terrorist organisations who brutalise those in other countries in the hope of bringing their savagery to our shores." |
| The first gunshots broke the characteristic calm of Canada’s orderly capital shortly before 10am, at the war memorial in Confederation Square, where the attacker shot Cpl Cirillo, who was standing guard in ceremonial uniform. Fellow servicemen and civilians performed CPR on the injured soldier before he was taken to hospital, where he was later declared dead. A witness, Tony Zobl, 35, told the Canadian Press news agency that he watched the incident unfold from a window overlooking the memorial. | The first gunshots broke the characteristic calm of Canada’s orderly capital shortly before 10am, at the war memorial in Confederation Square, where the attacker shot Cpl Cirillo, who was standing guard in ceremonial uniform. Fellow servicemen and civilians performed CPR on the injured soldier before he was taken to hospital, where he was later declared dead. A witness, Tony Zobl, 35, told the Canadian Press news agency that he watched the incident unfold from a window overlooking the memorial. |
| “I looked out the window and saw a shooter, a man dressed all in black with a kerchief over his nose and mouth and something over his head as well, holding a rifle and shooting an honour guard in front of the cenotaph point-blank, twice,” Mr Zobl said. “The honour guard dropped to the ground, and the shooter kind of raised his arms in triumph holding the rifle.” | “I looked out the window and saw a shooter, a man dressed all in black with a kerchief over his nose and mouth and something over his head as well, holding a rifle and shooting an honour guard in front of the cenotaph point-blank, twice,” Mr Zobl said. “The honour guard dropped to the ground, and the shooter kind of raised his arms in triumph holding the rifle.” |
| A construction worker Scott Walsh, 21, told Canadian broadcaster CBC that he then saw the gunman running towards parliament holding what appeared to be a double-barrelled shotgun. The man vaulted a low fence and forced a driver from a car at gunpoint, which he then drove up to the doors of the government building, Mr Walsh said, adding: “It was intense. I didn’t think it was real.” | A construction worker Scott Walsh, 21, told Canadian broadcaster CBC that he then saw the gunman running towards parliament holding what appeared to be a double-barrelled shotgun. The man vaulted a low fence and forced a driver from a car at gunpoint, which he then drove up to the doors of the government building, Mr Walsh said, adding: “It was intense. I didn’t think it was real.” |
| Parliament and the surrounding area were placed on lockdown as officers converged on the scene. Journalists in the lobby of the House of Commons were ordered by police to lie on the floor. Other bystanders fled the building, some clambering down from higher floors via scaffolding erected for renovation work, witnesses said. | Parliament and the surrounding area were placed on lockdown as officers converged on the scene. Journalists in the lobby of the House of Commons were ordered by police to lie on the floor. Other bystanders fled the building, some clambering down from higher floors via scaffolding erected for renovation work, witnesses said. |
| Mr Harper and the leaders of the two main opposition parties were all said to have left the building safely. One senior MP, Tony Clement, tweeted that a cabinet meeting had been under way when shots were fired nearby. Mr Vickers, 58, a former officer with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, was widely hailed as a hero after being credited with shooting the gunman. | Mr Harper and the leaders of the two main opposition parties were all said to have left the building safely. One senior MP, Tony Clement, tweeted that a cabinet meeting had been under way when shots were fired nearby. Mr Vickers, 58, a former officer with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, was widely hailed as a hero after being credited with shooting the gunman. |
| Globe and Mail political reporter Josh Wingrove tweeted that the gothic hallways of parliament were filled with the smell of gunpowder, and that he had seen a “motionless body... outside the library of parliament,” thought to be that of the suspect. | Globe and Mail political reporter Josh Wingrove tweeted that the gothic hallways of parliament were filled with the smell of gunpowder, and that he had seen a “motionless body... outside the library of parliament,” thought to be that of the suspect. |
| Head of RCMP Bob Paulson briefs Canadian prime Minister Stephen Harper on the shootings at Parliament Hill in Ottawa (AP) The Canadian military closed all its bases to the public following the attack. Three other people were reportedly being treated for injuries at an Ottawa hospital, including one member of the Parliament Hill security team, who was wounded during the shootout. | Head of RCMP Bob Paulson briefs Canadian prime Minister Stephen Harper on the shootings at Parliament Hill in Ottawa (AP) The Canadian military closed all its bases to the public following the attack. Three other people were reportedly being treated for injuries at an Ottawa hospital, including one member of the Parliament Hill security team, who was wounded during the shootout. |
| A social media account linked to Islamist militants posted a photograph of a man claimed to be the shooter wearing a scarf over his face and holding what appeared to be a rifle. | A social media account linked to Islamist militants posted a photograph of a man claimed to be the shooter wearing a scarf over his face and holding what appeared to be a rifle. |
| On Monday, another Canadian soldier was killed when he was run over in a car park near Montreal by a 25-year-old Islamic convert, Martin Rouleau, who sped away from the scene pursued by police. Rouleau lost control of his vehicle and flipped it into a ditch. As he emerged from the car, reportedly brandishing a large knife, he was shot several times by police. He later died in hospital. | On Monday, another Canadian soldier was killed when he was run over in a car park near Montreal by a 25-year-old Islamic convert, Martin Rouleau, who sped away from the scene pursued by police. Rouleau lost control of his vehicle and flipped it into a ditch. As he emerged from the car, reportedly brandishing a large knife, he was shot several times by police. He later died in hospital. |
| An Ottawa police officer runs with his weapon drawn outside Parliament Hill in Ottawa (AP) There is no indication that the incident was related to today’s shootings, but Rouleau was one of 90 Canadians being monitored, having been deemed a potential threat to national security. On social media, Rouleau reportedly went by the name Ahmad LeConverti (“Ahmad the Converted”), posting jihadist propaganda including a video featuring the Isis logo. His passport had been confiscated. | An Ottawa police officer runs with his weapon drawn outside Parliament Hill in Ottawa (AP) There is no indication that the incident was related to today’s shootings, but Rouleau was one of 90 Canadians being monitored, having been deemed a potential threat to national security. On social media, Rouleau reportedly went by the name Ahmad LeConverti (“Ahmad the Converted”), posting jihadist propaganda including a video featuring the Isis logo. His passport had been confiscated. |
| On Tuesday Canada raised its national terrorism alert level from “low” to “medium”. At the time the authorities said the move was not “the result of a specific threat,” but rather a response to an increase in “general chatter” among radical groups online. | On Tuesday Canada raised its national terrorism alert level from “low” to “medium”. At the time the authorities said the move was not “the result of a specific threat,” but rather a response to an increase in “general chatter” among radical groups online. |