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| Ottawa shooting: police confirm only one gunman as parliament re-opens | Ottawa shooting: police confirm only one gunman as parliament re-opens |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Canadian police confirmed on Thursday that the assault on the country’s national parliament was carried out by a lone gunman, as prime minister Stephen Harper led tributes to the solider killed in the attack and to the ceremonial official who prevented a bigger tragedy. | Canadian police confirmed on Thursday that the assault on the country’s national parliament was carried out by a lone gunman, as prime minister Stephen Harper led tributes to the solider killed in the attack and to the ceremonial official who prevented a bigger tragedy. |
| Ottawa police said that they were satisfied there was one attacker, and police chief Charles Bordeleau told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation that there was no longer a threat to public safety. | Ottawa police said that they were satisfied there was one attacker, and police chief Charles Bordeleau told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation that there was no longer a threat to public safety. |
| As a shocked nation digested the aftermath of the shootings, Harper laid a wreath at the tomb honoring Canada’s fallen soldiers, where Michael Zehaf-Bibeau shot corporal Nathan Cirillo on Wednesday morning before storming into the nearby parliament building and opening fire inside. | As a shocked nation digested the aftermath of the shootings, Harper laid a wreath at the tomb honoring Canada’s fallen soldiers, where Michael Zehaf-Bibeau shot corporal Nathan Cirillo on Wednesday morning before storming into the nearby parliament building and opening fire inside. |
| Police initially speculated that the attack was the work of more than one gunman. But it became apparent during the day that Zehaf-Bibeau was the only protagonist. His mother told the Associated Press that she is crying for the victims of the shooting, not for her son. “Can you ever explain something like this?” Susan Bibeau said. “We are sorry.” | Police initially speculated that the attack was the work of more than one gunman. But it became apparent during the day that Zehaf-Bibeau was the only protagonist. His mother told the Associated Press that she is crying for the victims of the shooting, not for her son. “Can you ever explain something like this?” Susan Bibeau said. “We are sorry.” |
| It was the second time in two days that the country’s security forces had confronted an attack on the streets: on Monday a man described by authorities as having been radicalised ran down a soldier with his car in Quebec. | It was the second time in two days that the country’s security forces had confronted an attack on the streets: on Monday a man described by authorities as having been radicalised ran down a soldier with his car in Quebec. |
| The Canadian government returned to business as usual on Thursday. The House of Commons opened as usual at 10am local time, with the flag flying over parliament’s Centre Block at half mast. The Queen, Canada’s head of state, had sent her condolences, saying she was “shocked and saddened” by the attack. | The Canadian government returned to business as usual on Thursday. The House of Commons opened as usual at 10am local time, with the flag flying over parliament’s Centre Block at half mast. The Queen, Canada’s head of state, had sent her condolences, saying she was “shocked and saddened” by the attack. |
| Parliamentarians stood and clapped in a prolonged ovation to Kevin Vickers, the House of Commons sergeant-at-arms who shot and killed Zehaf-Bibeau before he was able to claim any more victims. At the time of the attack, adjacent rooms were packed with MPs, including Harper and the Liberal leader Justin Trudeau. | Parliamentarians stood and clapped in a prolonged ovation to Kevin Vickers, the House of Commons sergeant-at-arms who shot and killed Zehaf-Bibeau before he was able to claim any more victims. At the time of the attack, adjacent rooms were packed with MPs, including Harper and the Liberal leader Justin Trudeau. |
| As Vickers walked into the House of Commons his lips quivered in emotion. Harper opened the session in personal terms, urging MPs to seek medical help if they were suffering from stress in the aftermath of the attack. “Here we are in our seats, in our chamber in the very heart of our democracy, at work,” Harper said. “We will not be intimidated.” | |
| Before the opening session, Harper joined members of parliament and Ottowa residents outside to pay respects to Cirillo, a 24-year-old reservist from Hamilton, Ontario, who was serving as a ceremonial guard to the national war memorial on Wednesday. | Before the opening session, Harper joined members of parliament and Ottowa residents outside to pay respects to Cirillo, a 24-year-old reservist from Hamilton, Ontario, who was serving as a ceremonial guard to the national war memorial on Wednesday. |
| The solemn moment was interrupted by shouting and the screech of tires. A man had attempted to breach the security gates, said Constable Chuck Benoit, a spokesman for the Ottawa Police. He said the man was immediately detained and arrested. It is unclear why the man tried to enter the area, and it was uncertain at whether he would face charges, Benoit said. | The solemn moment was interrupted by shouting and the screech of tires. A man had attempted to breach the security gates, said Constable Chuck Benoit, a spokesman for the Ottawa Police. He said the man was immediately detained and arrested. It is unclear why the man tried to enter the area, and it was uncertain at whether he would face charges, Benoit said. |
| The interruption caused a ripple of fear in the crowds. “Not again,” a man carrying flowers said quietly to the woman standing with him. When it was clear there was no threat, the crowd eased and the attention turned back to Harper. | The interruption caused a ripple of fear in the crowds. “Not again,” a man carrying flowers said quietly to the woman standing with him. When it was clear there was no threat, the crowd eased and the attention turned back to Harper. |
| After Harper lay a wreath, the crowd of MPs and onlookers started to softly sing O Canada, the national anthem. | After Harper lay a wreath, the crowd of MPs and onlookers started to softly sing O Canada, the national anthem. |
| Wearing a poppy on his lapel and carrying a bouquet of flowers, lifelong Ottawa resident and former reservist Stephen Miller said he came to the memorial to show to the world that Canadians will not live in fear. | Wearing a poppy on his lapel and carrying a bouquet of flowers, lifelong Ottawa resident and former reservist Stephen Miller said he came to the memorial to show to the world that Canadians will not live in fear. |
| “Like a lot of Canadians, I’m devastaed by what has happened, but I also want to show resolve that we’re not going to be defeated by this,” he said. “That our society is not going to be terrorised by these extremists, people that have extreme views and want to change our society for the worse.” | “Like a lot of Canadians, I’m devastaed by what has happened, but I also want to show resolve that we’re not going to be defeated by this,” he said. “That our society is not going to be terrorised by these extremists, people that have extreme views and want to change our society for the worse.” |
| He said he hoped the response would be measured: anything resembling a “police state” would be the antithesis of the freedom and openness for which Canada is known, he said. | He said he hoped the response would be measured: anything resembling a “police state” would be the antithesis of the freedom and openness for which Canada is known, he said. |
| Stephanie Basi, who works for at a government agency on Parliament Hill , was a dentist appointment when the shooting happened on Wednesday. She was unnerved that an attacker with a gun could get so close to the prime minister. | Stephanie Basi, who works for at a government agency on Parliament Hill , was a dentist appointment when the shooting happened on Wednesday. She was unnerved that an attacker with a gun could get so close to the prime minister. |
| “We’re only as safe as the leader of our country,” she said. “And I think we have a responsibility to ensure his security to ensure security.” Basi said she would welcome enhanced security measures, especially around the capital. | “We’re only as safe as the leader of our country,” she said. “And I think we have a responsibility to ensure his security to ensure security.” Basi said she would welcome enhanced security measures, especially around the capital. |
| Investigators are still trying to piece together the events of Wednesday, and attempting to learn more about the attacker, Zehaf-Bibeau. Few details have emerged about the 32-year-old, who appearst to have an extensive criminal record for petty crimes in Quebec and Vancouver in the early 2000s. | Investigators are still trying to piece together the events of Wednesday, and attempting to learn more about the attacker, Zehaf-Bibeau. Few details have emerged about the 32-year-old, who appearst to have an extensive criminal record for petty crimes in Quebec and Vancouver in the early 2000s. |
| The Globe and Mail newspaper said authorities had recently designated him a “high-risk traveller”, meaning it was feared he would commit crimes abroad, and that his passport had been seized. A similar designation had been made for the perpetrator of Monday’s attack in Quebec, Martin Couture-Rouleau, 25. Both were said to have been converts to Islam. | The Globe and Mail newspaper said authorities had recently designated him a “high-risk traveller”, meaning it was feared he would commit crimes abroad, and that his passport had been seized. A similar designation had been made for the perpetrator of Monday’s attack in Quebec, Martin Couture-Rouleau, 25. Both were said to have been converts to Islam. |
| Speaking to reporters at the national memorial, opposition New Democrat MP, Paul Dewar, questioned whether the actions taken against both men were enough. “If you are taking away a passport and there’s no further engagement, that begs the question as to is it sufficient enough,” he said. | Speaking to reporters at the national memorial, opposition New Democrat MP, Paul Dewar, questioned whether the actions taken against both men were enough. “If you are taking away a passport and there’s no further engagement, that begs the question as to is it sufficient enough,” he said. |
| He said the government’s job would be to find the “balance between having citizens be able to access our parliament but also making sure that it’s secure and I think that’s the kind of thing we’ll be talking about for the next couple of days.” | He said the government’s job would be to find the “balance between having citizens be able to access our parliament but also making sure that it’s secure and I think that’s the kind of thing we’ll be talking about for the next couple of days.” |