Not sure if you heard about the events today in Ottawa. Hopefully none of the photogs here have been directly impacted by the events.
Thoughts and prayers go out to the family of the soldier, and a level of understanding and care go out to those who deal with these situations on a more 'regular' basis.
They're calling this our 911, on Caucus Day, with a shooting dead of the (hopefully) sole perp in the Library of Parliament by Kevin Vickers, Sergeant-at-Arms on the Hill, a 29-yr RCMP vet and sharpshooter. This was right after the perp shot dead a member of the Colour Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, he got onto the Hill with a gun and into the very heart of the Centre Block. Caucus meetings were taking place in rooms he ran by on his way to the Library.
They have released the name of the soldier now. People are still being cautioned to stay out of downtown Ottawa. Both RCMP and Ottawa Police are involved as the first shooting at the cenotaph was off Parliament Hill, while RCMP is responsible for security on the Hill.
more than 1 shooter.
we've been in lockdown since 10:30, can't leave the building (smokers are fuming... har har har), my wife can't even leave her office floor to get food from the food court in the building.
second shooter opened fire well after first shooter was killed. or perhaps it's the same guy and they shot a would-be-second-shooter in parliament.
wife works across river directly behind parliament....bridges shut down, downtown shut down, she may not be able to leave building today.... but small matter in comparison to families of victims of shooting.
i truly hope that none of our people here have been impacted.
it's a rough day for us, and scary to think it's like this all the time elsewhere. :(
Some of my neighbours work at DND (Department of National Defense). Just saw the wife get home, but not the husband, yet. Probably still in lockdown. Nothing else but this on the news.
Thoughts and prayers for the fallen soldier of the Colour Guard, who would have been unarmed and in ceremonial dress. He was one of two posted. I can only imagine the thoughts going through the mind of the second Colour Guard.
ETA @ RyanW...if you have proof of a 2nd shooter, call 911 and tell them what you know. The Rideau Centre *shooting* has been disproved.
Some of my neighbours work at DND (Department of National Defense). Just saw the wife get home, but not the husband, yet. Probably still in lockdown. Nothing else but this on the news.
Thoughts and prayers for the fallen soldier of the Colour Guard, who would have been unarmed and in ceremonial dress. He was one of two posted. I can only imagine the thoughts going through the mind of the second Colour Guard.
ETA @ RyanW...if you have proof of a 2nd shooter, call 911 and tell them what you know. The Rideau Centre *shooting* has been disproved.
officials were reporting accomplices and reason for lockdown. One dead in parliament bldg before lockdown happened.
no info aside from what is already reported in news outlets...
For those that haven't seen it yet, this very powerful editorial cartoon was posted to the Chronicle Herald in Halifax. Warning, it just may bring a tear to your eye.
For those that haven't seen it yet, this very powerful editorial cartoon was posted to the Chronicle Herald in Halifax. Warning, it just may bring a tear to your eye.
The link will not open but if it is the one I saw yesterday it did bring tear to my eyes as did the images of the highways. From Ottawa to Hamilton over 500km of Canada paying respect.
