A terrifying scene unfolded in the Canadian capitol this morning, and as of now, it’s not yet clear if the incident is over.
A soldier was shot Wednesday in the Canadian capital of Ottawa, and dozens of shots were fired minutes later in the nearby halls of Parliament, where lawmakers barricaded themselves in their offices for safety, witnesses and authorities said.Authorities said that one gunman was shot by security forces, but Ottawa police told MSNBC that they were looking for more than one suspect. Prime Minister Stephen Harper was safely escorted from the scene, his spokesman said.Shots were also fired at Rideau Centre, a shopping mall in the area, police told the Canadian television network CTV.
Canada’s parliament was in session at the time, and lawmakers could hear the gunfire.
NBC News’ report added that the local law enforcement would not confirm how many people were involved in the attack but said there were “multiple suspects.”
Reports from local media added that the first round of gunfire occurred at the National War Memorial, before moving across the street to Parliament.
This comes on the heels of a hit-and-run incident this week, which left one Canadian soldier killed and another injured, which is being investigated for possible terrorist connections.
The U.S. Embassy in Ottawa was locked down and President Obama has been briefed on the attack.
NBC News’ Pete Williams reported from Ottawa less than an hour ago.
Steve Benen is a producer for "The Rachel Maddow Show," the editor of MaddowBlog and an MS NOW political contributor. He's also the bestselling author of "Ministry of Truth: Democracy, Reality, and the Republicans' War on the Recent Past."