Local Members of Parliament are safe, according to spokesmen for their offices as reports swirl of at least one – and possibly several -- gunmen on the loose in Ottawa.
Local Members of Parliament are safe, according to spokesmen for their offices as reports swirl of at least one – and possibly several -- gunmen on the loose in Ottawa.
Russ Lyster, director of operations in Wild Rose MP Blake Richards’ office confirmed the MP whose riding includes Olds, is safe, but that’s all he would say.
Earl Dreeshen, the MP for Red Deer, is reported safe and under lockdown, according to his constituency assistant Colin Connon.
Spokesmen for both MPs declined to offer any more details.
Lister would not confirm reports that shots had been fired in Parliament itself, but he did confirm that all of Parliament is in lockdown.
Tony Clement tweeted that "at least 30 shots" were fired while he and others were in a caucus meeting.
"MPs piled out. I'm safe with two colleagues but we're still at risk," he tweeted.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper was hustled out of Parliament and is reported to be safe.
The incident began just after 8 a.m. Mountain time when a gunman shot a soldier standing at the War Memorial, just below Parliament Hill.
As of 9 a.m. Mountain time there were conflicting reports about the gunman/gunmen.
Some said the one who attacked the soldier fled in a vehicle apparently carrying a rifle. Others said he jumped a fence at Parliament Hill and ran toward the Parliament buildings.
Other reports suggested there was at least one other gunman involved – maybe as many as five – and that they were firing shots inside Parliament.
One attacker was reported to be dead.
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