Ottawa shootings: City in lockdown after soldier shot

Parts of Canada's capital are in lockdown after a gunman shot a soldier at a war memorial, then ran into the parliament building where he exchanged gunfire with police.

One gunman has also been killed. Armed police are looking for one or more suspects.
More shots were fired outside a nearby shopping centre.
It came hours after Canada raised its terror threat level, after another soldier was killed on Monday.
Earlier this month, the country announced plans to join the US-led campaign of air strikes against Islamic State (IS) militants in Iraq.
But there is no confirmation any of this week's attacks are linked to IS or the new military campaign.
The latest incident began when soldiers guarding the memorial came under fire on Wednesday morning.
One gunman - said
to be carrying a rifle - fired on soldiers guarding Canada's main war memorial and then ran into the parliament.
"Shots fired at War Memorial at 9:52am today; one person injured," Ottawa Police tweeted.

 

 Emergency staff tended to the injured at the memorial

 

 Armed police head towards the Langevin Block on Parliament Hill

A minister later said the injured soldier had died, but this has not been confirmed.
Police told those in the vicinity to stay away from windows and roofs as they search for additional suspects.
"The indications are there is more than one gunman. There may be several," Canadian MP Marc Garneau told the BBC, adding he and fellow politicians were evacuated from the area.
One gunmen inside the parliament has reportedly been shot dead and a second guard wounded, according to local media.
The nearby University of Ottawa has been placed on lockdown, as well as all local police buildings and the US Embassy.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Stephen Harper "is safe and has left Parliament Hill", his director of communications wrote on Twitter.
On Wednesday, White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters US officials have been in "close touch" with Canadian counterparts.
A call between Mr Harper and US President Barack Obama was also being arranged at Mr Harper's "earliest convenience", he added.

 

The shooting began at the Ottawa War Memorial

Senior government member Tony Clement said on Twitter shots were fired near an in-progress cabinet meeting in parliament.
A government official earlier said the raised threat level was in response to an increase in online "general chatter" from radical groups including Islamic State and al-Qaeda.
Ministry spokesman Jean-Christophe de Le Rue said on Tuesday that the increased level "means that intelligence has indicated that an individual or group within Canada or abroad has the intent and capability to commit an act of terrorism".

On Tuesday a Muslim convert was killed by Quebec police after deliberately hitting two soldiers in his car, killing one and injuring another.
A minister said it was a "terrible act of violence against our country".