According to reports, most of downtown Ottawa has been locked down as at least one suspect is still reportedly on the loose. The gunman reportedly first attacked the soldier at the National War Memorial and then went into the Canadian parliament building. Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper is safe. Harper reportedly was to meet with Malala Yousefzai, who was recently named a co-recipient of the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize....Well done, brother.
Media reports now indicate that police are searching for multiple gunmen, and are also trying to block bridges into Quebec. One gunman who entered the Canadian parliament building was reportedly killed by Parliament's sergeant at arms.
UPDATE: Confirmation.
Fantino said parliament's head of security, Sergeant-at-Arms Kevin Vickers, a former member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), had shot a suspect dead.UPDATE: "Sergeant at Arms gets standing ovation after shooting terrorist while wearing tails."
"All the details are not in, but the sergeant-at-arms, a former Mountie, is the one that engaged the gunman, or one of them at least, and stopped this," Fantino said. "He did a great job and, from what I know, shot the gunman and he is now deceased."
9 comments:
That was a lot of gunfire!
What was that Sergeant at Arms doing with a firearm!?
Tsk. Canadians....
Eric Hines
What was that Sergeant at Arms doing with a firearm!?
His office.
Yeah, you usually don't see that anymore.
It will be interesting to see the reaction to these jihadis in Canada.
I have Canadian friends who from time to time, sniff at the whole terrorism thing--"Oh it's just a nuisance".
Wondering what they are thinking now.
Amazing that the Canadians still have police that can shoot straight, given what's going on in the US.
Had the soldiers at the War Memorial been given live ammo, today's incident would not have gotten so far.
There is a type of mind that considers it so cool, and obviously so much better to have bobbies, and ceremonial soldiers, and those impressive Mounties not have guns 'n ammo. It's such a good example, y'know? It will make the world a better place.
Except there are still evil people out there, who need to be stopped and aren't particularly moved by good examples.
The soldiers at the War Memorial were not on a war footing. That may change, temporarily.
I understand the rationale for refusing to arm an honor guard: the greater threat is that a loaded weapon will be taken and used against him or bystanders, as has happened from time to time, to police officers and bailiffs in Texas courthouses. I had a law professor who was a judge, and he disarmed his bailiff for exactly that reason.
The presumption underlying the decision to disarm such guards is that the chief danger is that some crazy person might unexpectedly explode, very close to the bailiff.
The existence of an Islamist entity recruiting online for lone-wolf attacks changes the weight one should give to the presumption.
I do not know the best way to deal with this situation, but I expect our neighbors to the north to debate this carefully, and come up with an interesting solution.
Valerie
Thank you Valerie. Good point.
Valerie, that happened in Georgia. Most warriors, however, have all ranges covered. They don't rely on the gun as a crutch, as many Americans like to do.
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