Ottawa police ease city lockdown after gunfight kills parliament shooter

“All of a sudden I just heard a shot, turned around, and there was a guy with a rifle … and just pow pow,” comes a bystander’s account of today’s shooting on Parliament Hill. My colleagues in London have compiled a number of witness stories:

“I heard four shots ring out,” Jan Luchtenburg told reporters, his voice shaking. “Suddenly I saw a small guy with long black hair … with a long rifle, and he ran away from the shots.”

“All of a sudden I just heard a shot, turned around and there was a guy with a rifle … and just pow pow,” bystander Reevo Namic told CBC News. “Then I saw one of the other armed forces guys just running. He barrelled over, just ran right over. The other guy just dropped. I looked back, just dived underneath and called immediately 911.”

Inside parliament, people could only heard the shots, turn off the lights and barricade the door.

Sandra Bales also heard the shots. “I stuck my head out of the office door, thinking, “What’s going on? I saw someone running up the stairs and knew something immediately was wrong, locked the door, turned off the lights and crawled under my desk,” she told CBC News. She stayed there for 20 minutes, she said, “until security came by, guns drawn. They said, ‘you’re doing the right thing. Stay where you’re at.’”

MP Charlie Angus told the Ottawa Citizen. “A series of gunshots rang out and we realised they were right on the other side of the door. And it isn’t a very strong door. We put up these flimsy little tables to get people behind and get them under chairs.”

You can read the other accounts here.

Video of Ottawa’s police chief and RCMP assistant commander discussing the shooting during a briefing earlier today.

Military personnel are being advised to stay indoors in the city, and residents are being asked to stay away from the downtown core.

President Barack Obama has said “we are all shaken” by the Ottawa shooting, which he also called “tragic”.

He said has no information yet about the shooter’s motivations or possible links to a broader network.

Nonetheless, Obama told reporters at the White House that the US and Canada needed to be “in sync” and “vigilant” to confront terrorism; before today’s shooting Canada was reeling from a young man’s attack on two soldiers Monday.

Obama also spoke with Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper earlier today and offered US assistance.

Canadian police have given the name of the dead gunman to the FBI, the New York Times reports:

The Canadian authorities provided FBI agents with the name of the dead Parliament assailant, law enforcement officials in Washington said. A search of FBI databases has so far not come up with anything, they said. They declined to reveal the gunman’s name.

The FBI offered its condolences over Twitter and said it is “ready to assist our partners”.

More evacuations have begun in downtown Ottawa, with police telling people to travel south:

The Toronto Star’s Joanna Smith says that security is telling employees to “stay put till they say it’s OK to leave”, or to stay in the building.

Though areas are being freed up from lockdown, tense security remains the norm even for people who work on the Hill or downtown. Per the Huffington Post’s Althia Raj:

The shootout in parliament “was clearly right outside our caucus door,” minister Tony Clement told Reuters.

Harper “was addressing caucus, then a huge boom, followed by rat-a-tat shots. We all scattered,” Clement said.

A spokesman for Harper said: “While the prime minister stated that facts are still being gathered, he condemned this despicable attack.”

Parliament’s head of security was involved in shooting the suspect dead, according to Canadian officials and local reports.

Veterans Affairs Minister Julian Fantino, a former policeman, told the Toronto Sun that parliament’s head of security, Sergeant at Arms Kevin Vickers, shot dead a suspected gunman.

“All the details are not in, but the sergeant-at-arms, a former Mountie, is the one that engaged the gunman, or one of them at least, and stopped this,” Fantino said.

Footage from inside Ottawa’s parliament building earlier today shows armed officers running through the corridors as people began to evacuate.

Another patient has been brought to Ottawa Civic Hospital, the Citizen’s Elizabeth Payne reports.

She says that in addition to the fatally wounded soldier who arrived at 10.20am, three patients arrived from the area of the shooting, including one with gunshot wounds. The three patients are reportedly stable.

A degree of normalcy is returning to Ottawa, as several buildings near and on Parliament Hill are having lockdowns lifted. People are returning to work and have been let out of areas near parliament, including the cafeteria and Chateau Laurier.

“It lasted like two minutes, I walked out, I take cover, the guy runs in, the shots are fired,” a witness tells my colleague Jessica Glenza.

Marc-André Viau, a senior press a senior parliamentary secretary says that after the gunman ran into Parliament Hill, he heard as many as 10 shots fired, a pause, and another 20 shots fired.

‘It’s surreal because, I mean, I’ve been working on the hill for like six years, um, and I’ve never seen anything close,” said Viau.

“Never had to, in my life, take cover because there was a shooter somewhere,” he said. Viau was sheltering in the food court of a nearby building, when he spoke with the Guardian.

The police chief sticks to his talking points: “what we’ve advised is we’ve asked the public to stay aware from the downtown core, we’re [securing Parliament Hill] and we’re working with the RCMP to clear Parliament Hill, to make sure that’s safe for everybody.

Reporter: “Did [the suspect] have a target in mind?”

Michaud: “Again, it’s way too early to determine a motive.”

Reporter: “Was the suspect a Canadian citizen?”

Michaud: “I can’t comment on that.”

Asked about the gunman’s weapon – whether it was a rifle or shotgun – the police chief reiterates that he can only describe the time of 911 calls and police response, not the details of the attack.

Asked slightly differently about whether the shooting took police by surprise, the Michaud says: “If we had known that this was coming we would have been able to disrupt it.”

About the official terror threat level: “The threat level on Parliament Hill is the medium level for the past several years, and that’s the level we’re operating on now.”

Asked if the incident took everyone by surprise, RCMP assistant commander Gilles Michaud says “it’s too early” to analyze the police response.

A reporter asks whether there still suspects at large. “You said there are more than one suspect earlier…”

Chief Bordeleau responds: “We’re still investigation with the RCMP in securing Parliament Hill.”

“We’re askign the community to continue to be aware, to be vigilant, and to report any activity that they deem suspicious … or with any information that can assist the investigaiont. we’re asking the community to remain vigilant.”

Reporter: “Are there still more suspects?”

“We’re still in the process of active operation right now, we’re treating this very seriously with the RCMP in clearing Parliament Hill.”

Major General Christopher Coates of the Canadian military, gives a statement, saying that the soldier was “shot by an unknown person” and his identity has not been released to respect his family’s privacy.

He says military personnel are being told to stay inside and that security has been heightened at bases around the country. “Until time situation is considered under control military have been told to remain in their buildings until further notice.” (On Monday near Montreal, a man attacked two soldiers with his car, killing one.)

Mayor Jim Watson also gives a brief statement, saying “We all want answers” and “Today is a sad and tragic day for our city and our country.”

The commanding officer of the RCMP division in Ottawa delivers a brief statement next:

This is a dynamic and unfolding situation. I understand that people have many questions and we are committed to providing answers as soon as we are able. The RCMP will lead the investigation on the Hill, Ottawa police [off of it].

All available and necessary resources were … deployed immediately when they became aware of the incident.

We trained our own members, and we trained other police agencies … we conduct scenario-based trainings to include … what we’ve seen in Ottawa today.

He also asks that the public report to the authorities anything they find suspicious.

The Ottawa police say no one is in custody and backtrack earlier statements, according to a joint release with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The statement reads in part:

The Ottawa Police Service and Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) responded to reports of shooting incidents this morning in the downtown area. Police can now confirm that incidents occurred at the National War Memorial and on Parliament Hill.

One shooting victim succumbed to injuries. He was a member of the Canadian Forces. Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his loved ones.

Next of kin notification is underway and as such, the victim’s identification will not be released.

This is an ongoing joint police operation and there is no one in custody at this time.

Ottawa residents are asked to stay away from the downtown area while the investigation continues. If you work in one of the downtown buildings, follow the instructions from the building management you are in.

The police also ask that witnesses and anyone with tips regarding the shooting incidents call them at 613-236-1222, ext 5493, or anonymously at 613-233-8477.

Ottawa police confirm the soldier first shot on Parliament Hill has died.

The police also confirm again that a male suspect is dead – and backtrack their statements about the Rideau Centre.

Lockdown is in effect in a radius about three to five miles around Parliament Hill, sending away traffic, closing schools and keeping people in place or evacuating them out of the search zone.

Reporting with sources inside from the World Exchange food court a few blocks away, Halifax Chronicle Herald’s Paul McLeod says it’s not calm everywhere:

The Ottawa Citizen has a helpful list of what’s closed in the wake of the shootings.

US homeland security secretary Lisa Monaco briefed President Obama today on the Ottawa shooting, White House press secretary Josh Earnest tells reporters.

“The details about the nature of this event are still sketchy, which is not unusual in a chaotic situation, like this one. Canada is one of the closest friends and allies of the United States.”

“Officials inside the US government have been in touch with their canadian government to offer their assistance, and that includes in the White House.”

He said the White House does not officially see the shooting as an act of terrorism, and is waiting to see what evidence emerges about the attack.

Meanwhile, Jason Macdonald, communications director for Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper has released a statement:

Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those who were attacked. The prime minister is safe and not on Parliament Hill and being briefed by security officials.

The police continue to do their important work and we are still gathering the facts. The prime minister will make a statement later today.

A member of Canada’s conservative party has said that the soldier at Civic Hospital has died, which CTV and the Globe and Mail say they have confirmed.

Prime minister Stephen Harper has been briefed by the head of the RCMP, and US President Barack Obama is expected to call the Canadian leader to offer assistance at some point today, Reuters reports.

In a surreal image, CTV’s Graham Richardson shows how parliamentary ministers piled chairs and furniture up against the door during the lockdown.

Ottawa Hospital received three patients, Reuters reports, citing a hospital spokeswoman. The hospital says two of the patients are stable, and unverified reports say the soldier first shot on Parliament is in grave condition.

The Globe and Mail’s Josh Wingrove has more about what happened inside parliament:

“One parliamentary guard was shot in the leg and is OK in the hospital, House of Commons security officer tells us. Another was shot in pantleg.”

The situation remains anxious inside parliament, even as security continue to move through the building, Justin Ling reports for the ground from Ottawa:

I was heading back down to my office when one uniformed police officer tore past. To my right, the stairwell door burst open. One member of Parliament frantically told me that there was active shooter in the building. I took off down the hall, into a nearby room. Security later confirmed that an active shooter is on the loose.

We anxiously waited for confirmation since then. At one ‎point, standing next to the fire escape, we heard a series of loud bangs. Five or six in rapid succession. We scattered around the room and took cover. A few were loudly praying. A few others were laughing nervously. Since then, we’ve been on lockdown. We’re hoping to get evacuated in the near future.

The gunman has died, Canada’s CTV confirms with Ottawa police, after he was reportedly shot in parliament by the sergeant of arms. The gunman was extremely close to a ministers’ meeting.

US President Barack Obama has been briefed on the situation in Ottawa, with the city’s US embassy under lockdown.

Many schools, military bases, stores and have closed and Canada’s terror alert level had already been raised just last week. Today’s shooting comes two days after an Martin Couture-Rouleau, an Islamic convert, ran down two Canadian soldiers with his car, killing one, before being shot and killed by police.

Police are sweeping through parliament buildings and locked-down buildings:

Inside parliament, the Globe and Mail’s Josh Wingrove:

Near the Rideau Center, also of the Globe and Mail:

At Civic Hospital, the Toronto Star:

And in downtown Ottawa:

The Ottawa Citizen’s Elizabeth Payne is at Civic Hospital and reports that tactical police are standing guard on the scene and that doctors are treating two patients:

The Rideau Centre denies a shooting took place inside; police did not specify whether the incident took place within or outside, near the mall.

Prime minister Stephen Harper – now off Parliament Hill – has cancelled a meeting with Malala Yousafzai later today, and will address the situation, the Ottawa Citizen’s Dylan Robertson tweets.

Reporters for CTV are relaying the situation at the Rideau Center, saying that the police “ran in with guns raised”.

The reporter says she’s “not sure if they were chasing anybody. They are crouched in several positions. It’s unclear who they’re chasing and where that potential gunman is. They’re telling us it’s not safe, they keep telling people to move away from the area.”

Nearby, police are continuing to evacuate people out of areas deemed high risk:

CNN’s Jason Morrell provides perspective on the three incidents in relation to each other:

Police are looking for as many as three suspects, Ottawa Police Constable Chuck Benoit tells the Guardian’s Jessica Glenza.

Beloit says that one person is in custody, but could not confirm details of what’s happening at the Rideau Center or about what is known of the suspect. Globe and Mail reporter Kathryn Carlson says people are being moved away from the mall.

The US embassy, about four blocks away from Parliament Hill, is also in lockdown, according to radio journalist Mark Day.

Canadian police say shots have been fired at a mall near Parliament, AP reports.

There are three incidents that police are trying to get a handle on: at the war memorial, inside parliament and now at the Rideau Center. The Center, a few blocks east of the Hill, is in lockdown along with most of downtown Ottawa.

The soldier shot in the first incident is in care at Ottawa Civic Hospital.

Canada’s minister of veterans affairs tweets his gratitude to the man who reportedly shot a suspected gunman inside a parliament building.

Canadian authorities will have to coordinate a diverse set of law enforcement agencies to lock down the area and find any remaining suspects. Guardian contributor Colin Horgan breaks down the jurisdictions of police:

Royal Canadian Mounted Police have jurisdiction over Parliament Hill and outside its buildings, and share authority here with House of Commons security and Senate security – ie are technically three jurisdictions on the Hill itself.

Off the Hill, it’s Ottawa police, provincial police if a suspect is on a highway or bridge, and Gatineau police should a suspect cross into Quebec.

The area of investigation is growing, and police confirm what they told the Guardian: “they are actively looking for one or more suspects”.

Live feed from CTV shows what appear to be elite police or military forces taking positions all around Parliament, including on rooftops.

You can watch the feed here.

Gary Clement, a former Royal Canadian Mounted Police superintendent, says this is probably the highest terror level since 9/11. He says it’s “The dawn of a new era” for police and military to be prepared.

My colleague Jessica Glenza reports that RCMP has jurisdiction for security on Parliament Hill, though Ottawa police are now handling the invesatigation.

Ottawa police say there is one man in police custody, though police aren’t confirming whether he’s been arrested, my colleague Jessica Glenza reports. Police are looking for more suspects.

“There are numerous buildings that are on lockdown for safety reasons. There are police in all vicinities where suspects were seen running to,” said Ottawa Police Constable Chuck Benoit. He won’t confirm the man is a suspect.

“We don’t have an active shooter scene right now, but we don’t have everyone that we’re looking for,” said Ottawa Police Constable Chuck Benoit.

Jessica adds that the Royal Mounted Canadian Police, the military and Ottawa Police are on scene.

Police are telling people to stay away from windows and keep indoors, Paul McLeod of the Halifax Chronicle Herald tweets.

He also says prime minister Harper has ordered everyone in Parliament to stay in place.

The Citizen also has police and witness descriptions of the shooter:

Witnesses said the man got back into the car, raced up Elgin Street and parked on Wellington Street in front of a gateway to the Hill.

The man has covered his face in a kind of scarf or mask, according to witnesses.

Police warned bystanders downtown that the shooter was still on the loose. The suspect is described as 5-9 to 5-10, overweight and wearing a dark jacket.

The Ottawa Citizen reports that the victim is a soldier, and quotes to MPs as saying they either heard multiple shots fired or had heard the shooter was walking through the halls.

Witneses to the War Memorial shooting described a man pull up in a car in front monument just before 10am, get out with a rifle and started firing shots at the soldiers standing guard. About five or six shots were fired.

The soldier fell on the steps at the foot of the Cenotaph, where bystanders and paramedics provided emergency medical care. The soldier, believed to be a man in his 30s, was taken to hospital by ambulance suffering from gunshots to his abdomen. His condition is unknown.

The Citizen also has a quick interview with a witness who saw the shooter running, saying the man had a large gun and looked “pretty determined”.

Laura Stone, a reporter for Canada’s Global News, says she saw a man “getting CPR loaded into an ambulance”, and that she’s spoken with a witness who described the shooter as having a “huge rifle”.

Police are searching through buildings and have placed the area on lockdown, keeping reporters, MPs and civilians in various areas together and apparently under heavy guard. Cars are being turned away, and witnesses say they heard “dozens” and “at least 30” shots.

CBC reporter Jason Ho reports that a soldier was shot, but police have so far not confirmed the victim’s identity.

Josh Wingrove, a reporter for Globe and Mail, is on the scene and live tweeting developments.