Ottawa: Two shooting incidents have been reported from Ottawa, Canada - at the National War Memorial and inside Parliament. Police said the reports of a third incident at a nearby shopping mall, the Rideau Centre, were not true.
Here are the live updates:
- Ottawa Hospital received four patients, three of whom are in stable condition. One of the patients was treated for a gunshot wound that was not considered life threatening. All three patients in stable condition are being kept at hospital.
- US President Barack Obama spoke with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper. expresses America's solidarity with Canada.
- Prime Minister Stephen Harper condemned the "despicable attack" on Canada`s Parliament Wednesday that left a soldier and a suspect dead. Harper`s office said the Prime Minister stressed the importance of keeping the government and parliament functioning in his talks with parliamentary leaders.
- According to the Canadian police, the attack "caught us by surprise". "If we had known that this was coming we would have been able to disrupt it," an official added.
- Meanwhile, police refuse to confirm at the press conference whether there was more than one gunman involved in Wednesday's shootings.
- Gilles Michaud, assistant commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, says the security level at Parliament Hill was at "medium" at the time of the attacks. He adds it is too early to know the motive behind today's attacks.
- UK Prime Minister David Cameron says he is appalled by the attacks in Ottawa.
I'm appalled by today's attack in Ottawa. I offer my full support to @pmharper and the Canadian people as they deal with this incident.
— David Cameron (@David_Cameron) October 22, 2014
- Ottawa police say they are looking for witnesses to come forward.
- Canadian police addresses a press conference. City police chief says the situation remains fluid and ongoing. According to him, the first distress calls were received at 9:52 am from near the National War memorial. He adds a male suspect is dead.
- Eye-witnesses say at least 20 shots were fired inside Canada's Parliament.
- Meanwhile, Canada has sought the FBI's help and given the US agency the name of a suspect in the Ottawa attacks.
- Prime Minister Harper has been briefed by Ottawa Police Commissioner Bob Paulson about the attacks.
- CNN reports police as saying that there was no shooting incident at the nearby shopping mall, Rideau Centre, which is just five minutes walk from the Parliament Hill. Only two shooting incidents have been confirmed in Ottawa - one at the war memorial, the other on Parliament Hill.
- US President Barack Obama has spoken to Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper in connection with the multiple attacks in Ottawa.
- Police in Ottawa say they believe there are more than one shooter.
- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has described the attacks in Ottawa as disturbing. He tweeted:
News of the attack in Ottawa is extremely disturbing. I pray for everyone's safety.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 22, 2014
- According to the local media, members of the Canadian Armed Forces have been asked not to wear uniforms in public unless they are on active duty.
- A local hospital says it has received 3 victims from Ottawa shootings. Two of them are in stable condition.
- The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), the US-Canada military organisation that coordinates air defence for the continent, has been put on alert. It has increased the number of planes that would be ready to respond should they need to, CNN reported.
- The United States government has offered assistance to Canada in the aftermath of the shooting incidents in Ottawa. It may be noted that Canada is one of the closest allies of the United States. The US FBI has, meanwhile, asked all its field offices to be on alert.
- A soldier who was shot at a war memorial at the start of an attack by one or more gunmen on Canada`s Parliament has died of his wounds, a government minister said. "Condolences to family of the soldier killed and prayers for the parliamentary guard wounded. Canada will not be terrorised or intimidated," Employment Minister Jason Kenney said on Twitter.
- Ottawa police are not sure whether the suspect had acted alone and are actively looking for one or more suspects.
- A suspected gunman has been shot dead inside the Parliament building.
- There are reports of multiple shots being fired inside the Canadian Parliament building.
- The shooting comes two days after an Islamic convert ran down two Canadian soldiers with his car, killing one, near Montreal, before being shot and killed by police.
- People in downtown Ottawa have been asked to stay away from windows and off roofs due to an “ongoing police incident”.
- One Member of Parliament, Mark Strahl, tweets from inside Parliament: "Very tense situation in Ottawa this morning. Multiple gun shots fired outside of our caucus room. I am safe and in lockdown. Unbelievable."
- Dramatic video footage posted by the Globe and Mail newspaper showed police with guns drawn inside the main Parliament building. At least a dozen loud bangs can be heard on the clip, echoing through the hallway.
- Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper was in a caucus meeting in Parliament when gunfire erupted in the building. He has been safely removed from the building, and Parliament has been locked down.
- Members of Parliament have been told to lock themselves in their offices, and stay away from the windows. "If your door does not lock, find a way to barricade the door, if possible. Do not open a door under any circumstances," said a security alert issued by Parliament officials.
- As the drama unfolds, police in dark bulletproof vests and automatic weapons flood the streets near Parliament. Some take cover behind vehicles, and shout to people to clear the area, saying: "We do not have the suspect in custody. You are in danger here."
- All cell phones in the area have been blocked.
- At least 30 shots have been fired in dramatic scenes in the heart of the Canadian capital.
- There are reports of a gunman shooting a soldier at a war memorial in Ottawa and then entering the Parliament building complex on Parliament Hill when chased by police.