This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/23/world/americas/canada-parliament-gunfire.html
The article has changed 18 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 5 | Version 6 |
|---|---|
| Canadian Soldier Shot Near Parliament in Ottawa | Canadian Soldier Shot Near Parliament in Ottawa |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| OTTAWA — One or more gunmen traumatized the heart of the Canadian capital on Wednesday, with one shooting a military guard at the National War Memorial and then entering the adjacent Parliament building, where multiple rounds were fired. | |
| Police officers rushed to secure the Parliament building and move occupants to safety as they hunted for what Canadian news reports said were possibly two or three assailants. The shooting incident had the appearance of a coordinated attack, which upended a busy day in the capital and paralyzed much of the city. | Police officers rushed to secure the Parliament building and move occupants to safety as they hunted for what Canadian news reports said were possibly two or three assailants. The shooting incident had the appearance of a coordinated attack, which upended a busy day in the capital and paralyzed much of the city. |
| The soldier died later at a hospital, the Ottawa police confirmed in a statement. Police also said that no shooting occurred near the Rideau Centre, a shopping mall, despite earlier reports of an incident. | |
| The shootings came amid heightened concern about terrorist attacks in Canada. Two days earlier, a radical jihadist ran over two soldiers at a suburban Montreal strip mall, killing one of them. Prime Minister Stephen Harper, an outspoken critic of the Islamic State movement and other militant groups, has been considering the introduction of new antiterrorism legislation. | The shootings came amid heightened concern about terrorist attacks in Canada. Two days earlier, a radical jihadist ran over two soldiers at a suburban Montreal strip mall, killing one of them. Prime Minister Stephen Harper, an outspoken critic of the Islamic State movement and other militant groups, has been considering the introduction of new antiterrorism legislation. |
| The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reported that one assailant in Ottawa was killed. Video taken by a journalist inside Parliament’s Hall of Honor appeared to show a gunman being struck down by police gunfire. The police would not confirm the reports. | The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reported that one assailant in Ottawa was killed. Video taken by a journalist inside Parliament’s Hall of Honor appeared to show a gunman being struck down by police gunfire. The police would not confirm the reports. |
| The Ottawa Hospital said in a statement that it was treating three people for wounds related to the shooting. | |
| Marc Soucy, a representative of the Ottawa Police Service, told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation that officers were looking for “multiple suspects” in shootings at three locations. | Marc Soucy, a representative of the Ottawa Police Service, told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation that officers were looking for “multiple suspects” in shootings at three locations. |
| The United States Embassy in Ottawa also reported that it was in lockdown mode, in an advisory to American citizens posted on its website. | |
| The shootings in Ottawa began about 10 a.m., just as the leaders of the three major parties in Parliament were holding their weekly meetings, suggesting the possibility of the attack being deliberate timed. Many of the lawmakers were rushed into secure rooms in the basement by guards. | The shootings in Ottawa began about 10 a.m., just as the leaders of the three major parties in Parliament were holding their weekly meetings, suggesting the possibility of the attack being deliberate timed. Many of the lawmakers were rushed into secure rooms in the basement by guards. |
| “I heard the shots as I was walking into a conference meeting,” said Chrystia Freeland, a member of Parliament from Toronto, speaking by cellphone from a windowless room in the basement. “I’m surrounded by more than a dozen House of Commons security guards.” | “I heard the shots as I was walking into a conference meeting,” said Chrystia Freeland, a member of Parliament from Toronto, speaking by cellphone from a windowless room in the basement. “I’m surrounded by more than a dozen House of Commons security guards.” |
| Mr. Harper had been inside Parliament at the time of the shooting but several witnesses saw him taken away in a motorcade. The entire downtown area was placed on lockdown as police reinforcements arrived, with thousands of workers trapped in office towers. | Mr. Harper had been inside Parliament at the time of the shooting but several witnesses saw him taken away in a motorcade. The entire downtown area was placed on lockdown as police reinforcements arrived, with thousands of workers trapped in office towers. |
| Convoys carrying heavily armed police officers continued to race into the area hours after the first shots were fired, apparently in the hunt for the other gunman. But the normally congested streets were otherwise ghostlike. As the hours passed, the police extended their perimeter of closed roads ensnaring the core in a ring of gridlock. | Convoys carrying heavily armed police officers continued to race into the area hours after the first shots were fired, apparently in the hunt for the other gunman. But the normally congested streets were otherwise ghostlike. As the hours passed, the police extended their perimeter of closed roads ensnaring the core in a ring of gridlock. |
| The Ottawa Police and Royal Canadian Mounted Police warned the public in a Twitter post to “stay away from the downtown Ottawa area.” | The Ottawa Police and Royal Canadian Mounted Police warned the public in a Twitter post to “stay away from the downtown Ottawa area.” |
| Witnesses reported seeing the gunman who shot the soldier running into the House of Commons and firing dozens of rounds. Some witnesses said that he had hijacked a passing car to make the trip to the principal Parliament building in the area, known as Parliament Hill. The assailant’s identity and motive were not clear. | Witnesses reported seeing the gunman who shot the soldier running into the House of Commons and firing dozens of rounds. Some witnesses said that he had hijacked a passing car to make the trip to the principal Parliament building in the area, known as Parliament Hill. The assailant’s identity and motive were not clear. |
| A special ambulance, modified from a transit bus to handle disasters, stood nearby Parliament Hill at the Supreme Court, as did several paramedics, some wearing helmets and body armor. | A special ambulance, modified from a transit bus to handle disasters, stood nearby Parliament Hill at the Supreme Court, as did several paramedics, some wearing helmets and body armor. |
| Journalists covering Parliament were ordered by police officers at gunpoint to lie on the floor in the foyer in front of the House of Commons, The Globe and Mail reported on its website. The Globe and Mail’s correspondent, Josh Wingrove, said in a series of Twitter posts that the hallways were filled with the smell of gunpowder. | Journalists covering Parliament were ordered by police officers at gunpoint to lie on the floor in the foyer in front of the House of Commons, The Globe and Mail reported on its website. The Globe and Mail’s correspondent, Josh Wingrove, said in a series of Twitter posts that the hallways were filled with the smell of gunpowder. |
| Dozens of Royal Canadian Mounted Police squad cars as well as one armored police vehicle converged on Parliament Hill’s Centre Block, as heavily armed officers wearing bulletproof vests went into the complex. | Dozens of Royal Canadian Mounted Police squad cars as well as one armored police vehicle converged on Parliament Hill’s Centre Block, as heavily armed officers wearing bulletproof vests went into the complex. |