OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Police aren’t confirming reports that a gunman has been shot and killed in the Canadian capital of Ottawa — where there was gunfire at the country’s National War Memorial and then inside the Parliament building.
Police and witnesses say a gunman shot a Canadian soldier standing guard at the war memorial, and then entered Parliament, where shots rang out.
Cabinet Minister Tony Clement tweeted that at least 30 shots were heard inside Parliament, where Conservative and Liberal members were holding their weekly caucus meetings.
Witnesses told the Canadian Press news agency that some people fled Parliament by scrambling down scaffolding that had been set up for renovations. Others were in lockdown.
The top spokesman for Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Harper was safe and had left Parliament Hill.
Police have been warning people in downtown Ottawa to stay away from windows and rooftops.
The shooting came two days after a recent convert to Islam killed one Canadian soldier and injured another in a hit-and-run before being gunned down by police.
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APPHOTO JDT104: A heavily armed RCMP officer takes position at the gate of 24 Sussex Dr., the official residence of the Prime Minister, on Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2014. A soldier standing guard at the National War Memorial has been shot by an unknown gunman and there have been reports of gunfire inside the halls of Parliament. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Justin Tang) (22 Oct 2014)
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