OTTAWA, Ontario — Police say a Canadian soldier who was shot as he stood guard at a war memorial in the country’s capital has died.
Ottawa police spokesman Chuck Benoit says a suspected gunman also is dead.
Benoit said authorities believe there were three gunmen involved in three shootings Wednesday morning, all within less than a mile from each other in downtown Ottawa.
“Two others were being sought for on land,” Benoit said.
The shootings happened at the war memorial, on Parliament Hill and at a nearby shopping mall.
Video shot by a reporter for the Globe and Mail showed police officers walking slowly through Parliament toward the entrance with weapons drawn. The sound of a gunshot ran out, followed by the sounds of multiple shots.
The shooting came two days after a recent convert to Islam killed one Canadian soldier and injured another in a hit-and-run before being gunned down by police. The suspect had been on the radar of federal investigators, who feared he had jihadist ambitions and seized his passport when he tried to travel to Turkey.
Cabinet minister Tony Clement tweeted that at least 30 shots were heard inside Parliament on Wednesday, where Conservative and Liberal MPs were holding their weekly caucus meetings.
“Shots fired inside centre block during our caucus meeting. I’m safe locked in a office awaiting security.” Kyle Seeback, a member of Parliament, tweeted.
The top spokesman for Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Harper was safe and had left Parliament Hill.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police warned people in downtown Ottawa to stay away from windows and rooftops.