Witness describes shooting of soldier at Canadian war memorial

OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — A witness is describing the shooting of a Canadian soldier who was standing guard at a war memorial in Canada’s capital of Ottawa.

Police and witnesses say the gunman then entered Parliament, where numerous shots were heard.

A man who says he watched from his fourth-floor window above the National War Memorial as the shooting took place says the shooter was a man dressed in black, with a kerchief over his nose and mouth. He says the man used a rifle to shoot the honor guard, “point-blank, twice.”

Tony Zobi says the soldier “dropped to the ground,” and that the shooter “kind of raised his arms in triumph holding the rifle.” He tells the Canadian press news agency that the gunman ran up the street toward Parliament Hill.

%@AP Links

138-r-25-(Sounds of shouting and loud gunfire inside Canada’s Parliament building, as officers exchanged gunfire and run with guns drawn ran towards the location of the first gunshot, from video provided by Globe and Mail reporter)–Sounds of shouting and loud exchange of gunfire inside Canada’s Parliament building, as officers with guns drawn ran forward. COURTESY: The Globe and Mail ((mandatory on-air credit)) ((longer version of previous cut)) (22 Oct 2014)

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142-a-14-(John McKay, Liberal Member of Canadian Parliament, Scarborough-Guildwood, in interview)-“to sink in”-Canadian lawmaker John McCay says one of his colleagues saw the shooter before she was evacuated. COURTESY: CTV ((mandatory on-air credit)) (22 Oct 2014)

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APPHOTO JDT113: Police teams enter Centre Block at Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Wednesday Oct. 22, 2014. A soldier standing guard at the National War Memorial was shot by an unknown gunman and people reported hearing gunfire inside the halls of Parliament. Prime Minister Stephen Harper was rushed away from Parliament Hill to an undisclosed location, according to officials. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Justin Tang) (22 Oct 2014)

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Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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