Shooting at Canadian Parliament Hill Leaves One Gunman Dead, Manhunt for Multiple Suspects
There have been at least 30 shots reported inside the Canadian Parliament complex in Ottawa on Wednesday, leaving one gunman dead. A manhunt has been launched for other suspects, while a number of shooting incidents have been reported in the downtown areas of the city.
There is not yet news on who might have carried out the attacks, if they were working together, or for what purpose. Ottawa police are reportedly looking into shooting incidents at Parliament Hill, at the National War Memorial, and near the Rideau Centre Mall, Yahoo Canada News reported.
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper is reportedly safe, but the parliament buildings remain on lockdown. One confirmed suspect was shot dead inside the Parliament buildings, where multiple instances of gunfire were heard.
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At least one soldier was left wounded from the attack. The uniformed serviceman was standing guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier when he was shot, and he has since been transported to hospital by ambulance.
CNN reported that there was another soldier standing guard at the war memorial, but he was not injured in the attack. Nearby soldiers participating in drills reportedly rushed in to help when the firing broke out.
Veteran Affairs Minister Julian Fantino revealed that the suspect was shot dead by the Parliament's sergeant-at-arms, Kevin Vickers.
"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. "He did a great job and, from what I know, shot the gunman and he is now deceased."
Ottawa Police Service spokesman Constable Chuck Benoit added: "We are still trying to clarify how many persons we are dealing with, and still waiting for the status of the victim who was shot at the War memorial."
Fox News noted that on Monday two Canadian soldiers were run over in the province of Quebec by a man who identified himself as a jihadist.
Canada had raised its domestic terror level on Tuesday from low to medium due to "an increase in general chatter from radical Islamist organizations like ISIL, Al Qaeda, al-Shabab and others who pose a clear threat to Canadians," according to Jean-Christophe de Le Rue, a spokesman for the public safety minister.
Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson could not provide answers as to what exactly had happened at the time, but said that "our thoughts and prayers are with those injured."
"As with all Ottawa residents and all Canadians, I am shocked and saddened by what has happened in the last hour here in the nation's capital," Watson said in a statement.
