Shots Fired - Canadian Parliament In Lock Down

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http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-29724907

Shots fired inside Canada parliament

Footage from the Toronto Globe and Mail show a hail of bullets being fired inside the Canadian parliament building
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Several shots have been fired inside and outside the nation's parliament in Ottawa, leaving one soldier wounded.

A gunman fired at the National War Memorial and then ran into parliament nearby, continuing the attack.

Several buildings around the city are on lockdown and there are reports of more shots fired at a shopping mall near the parliament.

The incident came hours after Canada raised its terror threat level following a fatal attack on Monday.

One soldier was killed and another injured when a Muslim convert attacked them in a hit-and-run.

The latest incident began when soldiers guarding the memorial came under fire on Wednesday morning.

"Shots fired at War Memorial at 9:52am today; one person injured," Ottawa Police tweeted.

Canadian broadcaster CBC and several MPs report that one gunman has been killed but that is unconfirmed.

Police have told those in the vicinity to stay away from windows and roofs as they search for additional suspects.

One gunman - said to be carrying a rifle - fired on soldiers guarding Canada's main war memorial and then ran into the parliament.

"The indications are there is more than one gunman. There may be several," Canadian MP Marc Garneau told the BBC, adding he and fellow politicians were evacuated from the area.

Witnesses described a scene of chaos in the parliament.
There are no reports yet of anyone inside the building being hurt.

Earlier, Ottawa Police told the BBC there could be more than one shooter. The nearby University of Ottawa has been placed on lockdown, as well as all local police buildings.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Stephen Harper "is safe and has left Parliament Hill", his director of communications wrote on Twitter.

Senior government member Tony Clement said on Twitter shots were fired near an in-progress cabinet meeting in parliament.

A government official earlier said the raised threat level was in response to an increase in online "general chatter" from radical groups including Islamic State and al-Qaeda.

Ministry spokesman Jean-Christophe de Le Rue said on Tuesday that the increased level "means that intelligence has indicated that an individual or group within Canada or abroad has the intent and capability to commit an act of terrorism".
On Tuesday a Muslim convert was killed by Quebec police after deliberately hitting two soldiers in his car, killing one and injuring another.

A minister said it was a "terrible act of violence against our country".

Earlier this month, Canada announced plans to join the US-led campaign of air strikes against Islamic State (IS) militants in Iraq.

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Type: Question • Score: 16 • Views: 5,713 • Replies: 81

CBC has just played an audio tape from the Globe and Mail in which one can hear multiple gun shots, and the G and M states that one suspect was shot in that incident. There is also a G and M video tape of several police officers moving into Center Block of the Parliament building There is a pedestrian stanchion which is dancing around as multiple gunshots (or automatic) fire is heard. I was impressed that the police officers continued to move forward during that incident. It's caucus day, so nearly every MP was present, and that probably accounts for the G and M having a team with audio- and video-taping equipment on Parliament Hill.

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A gentleman being interviewed as i type has said that he heard gunshots in Center Block of the Parliament just moments ago.

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@Setanta,

Watching, no comment now. .

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Man oh man.

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CBC has just played an audio tape of the incident i described in which police were advancing in a hallway in Center Block, and it is a cacophony of sound. It definitely sounds like automatic weapons fire. The building is built of stone, and the floors in that section are marble--bullets and fragments have to be riocheting everywhere.

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This is the Centre Block of the Parliament complex (my mistake for not remembering that Canadians can't spell any better than Englishmen):

http://images.world66.com/ce/nt/re/centre_block_parli_galleryfull

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A CBC commentator has said that Ottawa hospitals have received three people, not including the soldier shot at the National War Memorial. The statement included the information that two of the patients are in stable condition.

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Two days ago, a man now described as a radical islamist, struck two Canadian servicemen in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, killing one. An Ottawa police constable has just said on CBC that the police force in Ottawa was already on a high alert level because of that incident.

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CBC reports that several members of the Conservative caucus have said that the soldier shot at the National War Memorial was killed. The gunman then ran off. One gunman (no way of knowing if it was the same shooter) was killed by the Sergeant at Arms in Centre Block. News commentators are saying that there is probably still one gunman at large.

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@Setanta,

I visited that Parliament Building on my first visit to Eastern Canada in 1997. I also remember a great Renoir Exhibition at the art gallery. I also remember they were building a huge American Embassy not far from the Parliament Building.

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Two ongoing timelines of events, including photos and videos.

http://news.nationalpost.com/2014/10/22/canadian-soldier-shot-outside-of-parliament-hill-timeline-of-events/

http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/timeline-shots-fired-in-the-national-capital-1.2065529

Here's a map for anyone else not familiar with the layout.

http://wpmedia.news.nationalpost.com/2014/10/na1023_shooting_in_ottawa_940_ab.jpg?w=940&h=783

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The soldier who was shot at the National War Memorial was a reservist, a member of the Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders (Canada) from Hamilton (about an hour's drive from Toronto). The Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders have the honor guard detail this week.

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The CBC coverage is being interrupted by really pointless remarks from the White House. The only thing of interest that i've heard is the FBI will be assisting the RCMP (for whatever good that will do). The PM, Stephen Harper, is to make a statement in about ten minutes.

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I have to leave the house here shortly. This is a link to CBC's live coverage.

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Oops, the news conference will be with an RCMP spokesman, not the PM.

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11:25 a.m. – Ottawa Police confirm three separate incidents: one near the National War Memorial, one near the Rideau Centre shopping mall, and one on Parliament Hill

11:48 a.m. – CTV Ottawa Morning Live reports the US Embassy is locked down

12:19 p.m. – Two patients heading to Ottawa Hospital civic campus, one with gunshot wounds, reports CTV’s Stefan Keyes.

12:31 p.m. – A new gunshot victim arrives at the civic hospital, CTV Ottawa reports.

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Watching the News right now, and it's confirming that the soldier has died.

A commentator to one of the newsloops was saying that workers were being ushered 'oot of the building". I have a great affection for that accent, and the Canadians themselves, so I wish them the best of luck in sorting these bastards out as quickly and as quietly as possible.

They won't let these one off deluded idiots ruin things.

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I heard a Canadian news reporter describe this as Canada's 9/11. On the face of it this may sound fairly ridiculous since no matter what happens the scope will be drastically smaller than the 9/11 attacks, however if it launches a new way of looking at the world and at internal security, it will certainly have a very similar effect.

The reporters are going to great pains not to draw any conclusions and that's part of their job, but it's readily apparent that this is the work of terrorists and almost certainly, Islamist terrorists. There are reports that there was in increase in ISIS "chatter" about attacking military and government sites in Canada in response to that country's decision to send fighter jets to join in the fight against the terrorist army in Syria and Iraq. And thus far, it seems as if ISIS is intent upon retaliating in some way against those nations that participate in the war against it. For the US it was the beheading of American hostages, for Canada it looks like it's a direct attack - even if it was accomplished through influencing homegrown Islamists within Canada rather than having been planned and launched from somewhere in the Middle East.

I feel certain that ISIS is attempting to either influence or launch similar attacks in the US and UK, however both of these countries have endured such attacks before and have heightened security that makes it more difficult to pull off attacks. Sadly, Canada may have just joined that unfortunate club.

I can't imagine that if it is proven that this is an attack that is due to Islamists in anyway connected to ISIS that the Canadian people will react by calling for a withdrawal of all forces from the Middle East, but I doubt the terrorists hope for that. If there is any method to their madness beyond zealous hatred and rage it is to have attacks like this intimidate and influence the decisions of nations pondering whether or not they should join the fight.

Instead they may have caused a nation that has been able to enjoy the sense of security and freedom to allow fairly open access to their house of government to become more paranoid, more security obsessed and a bit less open and free. I also doubt this is the goal of the attack, but it still will be the result.

It's a sad day for Canada and for the families of those who have been killed or wounded. We can only hope this reaches a final resolution without further bloodshed and wish our neighbors to the North all the best that is possible.

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@Lordyaswas,

I'm heartsick. I don't know why ISIS draws people to its goal of utter destruction. I hope our friends in Canada are safe and get control of this situation quickly. I also hope the US will quickly devote the resources needed to assist our partner in the manner Canada will find helpful.

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Shots Fired - Canadian Parliament In Lock Down

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