OTTAWA, Canada — A Canadian soldier was shot and killed as he and another soldier stood guard at Canada’s Parliament war memorial Wednesday. Details are emerging as authorities try to secure the government building in Ottawa.
The violence is not confined to Parliament. Police say that there could be multiple shooters and that there are three shooting incidents in the capital.
Ottawa police, whose buildings were also locked down, provided details on Twitter about multiple shootings: “Incidents occurred at National War Memorial, near the Rideau Centre and Parliament Hill.”
The Canadian government told the United States that one shooter is dead in Ottawa, a senior U.S. official told CNN. So far, there is “no indication the shooter has ties to violent Islamic extremism,” but it is still extremely early in the investigation, the source said.
The FBI is helping Canadian authorities as they respond, a U.S. law enforcement official told CNN, adding that a connection to terrorism hasn’t been ruled out.
In response to the ongoing situation, the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, has increased its alert posture, CNN has learned. That means that it has increased the number of planes on a higher alert status ready to respond if needed. NORAD and Canadian authorities are in contact, an official told CNN.
At least one shooter is dead, Parliament member Bob Zimmer tweeted earlier.
Parliament remains on lockdown.
No one was hurt in a shooting near Ottawa’s Rideau Centre, Marc Soucy of the Ottawa Police Service told CNN. It was one of three shootings, he said. The other two were at the National War Memorial and Parliament Hill.
Shots rang out at Parliament around 10 a.m. ET as Parliament members, including Prime Minister Stephen Harper, prepared for caucus. Some members tweeted that they heard many shots.
Prime Minister secure
MP Tony Clement tweeted that he heard “at least 30 shots” and apparently was able to take cover with colleagues.
He tweeted that Harper was secure.
Harper was evacuated from the building and is safe, tweeted his press secretary, Carl Vallee.
“@PMHarper is safe and he has left parliament hill,” Vallee tweeted in French.
Peter Henderson, a journalist, said there were soldiers doing drills when shots were fired and he ran to help a soldier who had slumped to the ground. He said he knew the person shot was a soldier because of the ceremonial uniform the soldier was wearing.
“I heard rapid fire — gunshots going very loud — and I figure maybe 20-plus shots within 10 seconds,” Canadian Deputy House Leader Kevin Lamoureux told CNN.
He was inside Parliament, caucusing with fellow lawmakers, when a security officer told them to leave the building. Lamoureux said. “I honestly thought it was a fire alarm situation,” he said.
Then he heard gunfire. He was on the ground floor, one level below the gunshots, and was among those who evacuated outside and were moved to safety in another building nearby.
There was panic as people rushed out a door, he said. Lamoureux said he heard no screaming or other sounds before the shots rang out.
Shots fired in Parliament foyer
Gunfire in the main Canadian Parliament building started in the foyer, and a second round of shooting happened about a minute later in a hallway or near the entrance to the Parliament’s library, Ottawa journalist Josh Wingrove told CNN.
He said several officers had weapons drawn, and most of the dozens of shots that he heard appeared to have been fired by officers at the gunman.
When the shooting ended, a person was lying motionless on the ground near the library entrance, Wingrove said.
Police were searching unlocked rooms in Parliament, the journalist told CNN.
Meanwhile, authorities are trying to get a handle on a chaotic situation.
“We don’t know if it’s someone from the military who was targeted or not,” Soucy told CNN. He was specific about when gunfire was reported: 9:52 a.m. ET.
Parliament member Kyle Seeback tweeted: “Horrific day on parliament hill. Shots fired inside centre block during our caucus meeting. I’m safe locked in a office awaiting security.”
Parliament member James Lunney tweeted: #HOC in Lockdown, lone gunman shot security guard, shot his way down Hall of Honor….we are all safe. Gunman dead! Thnk God & our scrty!”
Canada raised its terror threat level
U.S. President Barack Obama has been briefed on the situation in Ottawa, White House officials said Wednesday.
The violence at Parliament comes just days after Canada raised its terror alert Friday.
Earlier this week, a man who Canadian authorities said was “radicalized” was shot to death after hitting and killing a Canadian soldier.
There is no indication that the Monday incident and Wednesday’s shooting are related.
The suspect in Monday’s vehicle attack, Martin Rouleau Couture, reportedly converted to Islam about a year ago. Police arrested him last July and confiscated his passport, but lacked enough evidence to keep him in custody, said Martine Fontaine of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
“When he was arrested, he was about to go to Turkey,” Fontaine said. “We stopped him as he was about to leave Canada for terrorist actions. He was questioned when he was arrested. We have not been able to determine any real threat at this time.”
