VIDEO: Sask. MPs, witnesses recount Ottawa shootings

Ottawa police have confirmed three separate shootings in Ottawa Wednesday morning at the National War Memorial, on Parliament Hill and near the Rideau Centre mall and Chateau Laurier.

A gunman opened fire at the National War Memorial at 7:52 a.m. Saskatchewan time wounding a soldier, then moved to nearby Parliament Hill where he was reportedly shot by Parliament’s sergeant-at-arms after wounding a security guard. The soldier who was shot at the War Memorial died in the hospital.

“This gunman ran right up the main steps through the main doors to Centre Block onto the Peace Tower. That’s a door that MPs use to go in and out on a daily basis. Tourists can use it to exit. I used to use it every day when I was in Centre Block. You burst through there with a rifle? There’s not going to be a lot of people to stop you,” Brian Lilley with Sun News Network, told News Talk Radio.

A witness reported that a man drove up in a black vehicle, got out carrying a rifle and ran into the Centre Block.

“I spoke to one witness who said he didn’t really know how many shots there a lot. (There were) 10, 15 and then a pause, 10, 15 more. We’ve heard of several bursts of shooting going on inside the Parliament buildings.”

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Cabinet minister Tony Clement tweeted that at least 30 shots were heard inside the building, where Conservative and Liberal MPs were holding their weekly caucus meetings.

Saskatoon-Wanuskewin VP Maurice Vellacott was at the security screening area under the Peace Tour about to conduct a tour with a group of home school students and parents when they heard the first shots.
“We heard the initial shot that was quite loud and it was probably – we were in the bottom – so it was in the quarter probably to the west of us and maybe the floor up. I’m not sure but we were right at the centre at the heart of the Parliament Building right on the ground floor there,” Vellacott explained.

Most of those MPs remain locked down in their caucus rooms.

Just before 9:15 a.m. Regina-Qu’Appelle MP and Speaker of the House Andrew Scheer told News Talk Radio he was safe. He spoke to us from the Justice Building, which is a good 10-minute walk from where the shootings unfolded. He says it’s a difficult situation because the parliament buildings strive to be accessible to the public, while also having tight security.

Scheer says he never expected to experience anything like the events of today.

“This is one of those things that you prepare for but pray never happens,” he said.

Regina-Wascana MP Ralph Goodale was in Regina during the gunfire. He said Canada will never be the same.

“We all have to think very carefully about what this means for our democracy and the way we govern ourselves,” he said.

Scott Bardsley, manager of communications for Goodale, is on the fifth floor of the Parliament building and spoke to News Talk Radio while under lock-down.

“We are all just hunkered down here with the doors locked, watching the news and learning what’s going on and waiting to get the all clear from security officials. That seems like that might be some time,” he said.

Like many people at Parliament Hill, Bardsley heard the shots Wednesday morning.

“At the time, I thought it sounded like something was clattering and clashing down the stairs. To my horror, I heard that – I found out later they were actually shots fired,” he said.

paNOW has also learned that Palliser MP Ray Boughen was in the Centre Block inside Parliament when the shootings occurred. He is also safe.

Check back for updates on this developing story.