One gunman has been shot dead inside the government parliament building in the Canadian capital Ottawa, according to CBC TV. There are also reports of attacks in a shopping centre nearby and a hotel in the area.
Police are actively looking for one or more suspects, and earlier police told the AFP news agency that one or more, possibly up to three, shooters were feared to be on the roof of the parliament building.
It came after a soldier guarding a nearby war memorial was reportedly wounded after shots were fired.
This video, from a reporter with The Globe and Mail, shows an exchange of gunfire in the Parliament buildings.
Shots have also now been reported at a hotel in the city.
Shots have been fired at a shopping mall near the Parliament, the Rideau Centre.
Extremely tense scene at Rideau Centre. We've all been ordered away. Police scrambling w/ weapons #cbcott pic.twitter.com/O8oeUOCFk1
— Giacomo Panico (@GiacomoPanico) October 22, 2014
A construction worker at the parliament told the Reuters news agency he heard a gunshot, and then saw a man dressed in black with a scarf over his face running towards the building with a gun.
Another witness said more than 30 shots were fired inside the building.
One witness, Marc-Andre Viau, said he saw a man run into a caucus meeting at the parliament, chased by police who yelled "take cover."
This was followed by "10, 15, maybe 20 shots," possibly from an automatic weapon, he said.
Canadian military bases across the country have been closed to the public.
The University of Ottawa has been put on lock-down.
Canadian Press now says "two or three" gunmen in #Ottawa, one shot by police.
— Yahoo Canada News (@YahooCanadaNews) October 22, 2014
The cordon has been pushed back and media on the scene have been told they are not safe.
Police have warned people in Ottawa to stay away from windows and roofs.
The wounded soldier, who was standing guard at the National War Memorial, has been taken away in an ambulance.
The soldier appeared to be seriously wounded and medics were seen pushing on his chest to revive him.
Shooting at the war memorial in Ottawa. pic.twitter.com/1Z0p4Mj5Vw
— John Ivison (@IvisonJ) October 22, 2014
The shooting comes two days after an Islamic convert ran down two Canadian soldiers near Montreal, killing one of them.
Ottawa Police tweeted in the last hour confirming one person had been injured.
Shots fired at War Memorial at 9:52am today; one person injured. More details to come when avaialble #ottnews.
— Ottawa Police (@OttawaPolice) October 22, 2014
Reporters at the scene have been tweeting images of the unfolding events.
BREAKING: Police have arrived on scene in Ottawa outside if way memorial - someone has been shot #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/8vaKDixipu
— Vassy Kapelos (@VassyKapelos) October 22, 2014
Dozens of shots in parliament. I see a bodyu on the ground outside the library of parliament
— Josh Wingrove (@josh_wingrove) October 22, 2014
Police now searching all rooms that weren't locked pic.twitter.com/YAVgZFau5Q
— Josh Wingrove (@josh_wingrove) October 22, 2014
Parliament shooting a very active situation still at the moment. They are searching the building, presumably for a suspect or suspects.
— Josh Wingrove (@josh_wingrove) October 22, 2014
We are still in lockdown here in Parliament's Centre Block. The building appears to still be under a search, officers with guns drawn
— Josh Wingrove (@josh_wingrove) October 22, 2014
