Attack on Canadian Parliament

Map of Ottawa shootings from the Globe and Mail.

Shortly before 10 a.m. Eastern time this morning in Ottawa, a gunman with a rifle shot a soldier standing guard at the National War Memorial, then raced the short distance to the Center Block of the Canadian Parliament, where he gained entry and a gun battle ensued within the halls of Parliament, as seen in the video above. Security forces from the police and RCMP are blocking streets and responding to various points in the vicinity.

Reports are that more than one shooter is active, and government offices as well as downtown Ottawa buildings are on lockdown. Prime Minister Stephen Harper as well as opposition leaders are reported to be safe and out of danger. Police are also investigating reported shootings at the Rideau Centre shopping mall near Parliament Hill.

On Monday, a radicalized Canadian convert to Islam ran down two Canadian soldiers in St.-Jean-sur-Richelieu, 30 miles southeast of Montreal, killing one of them.

The CBC has live coverage of events on Parliament Hill here.

The Globe and Mail has ongoing coverage here.

CTV also has live coverage here.


Update, 4:20 p.m.: Canadian news organizations are now reporting that the soldier killed in this morning's cowardly attack at the War Memorial was 24-year-old Cpl. Nathan Cirillo from Hamilton, Ontario, who when off duty worked with an animal rescue outfit.

R. I. P.