Canada shooting

On October 22, 2014, Michael Zehaf-Bibeau arrived at the Ottawa National War Memorial. Previously known as Michael Joseph Hill, he converted to Islam, changed his name and involved himself with Canadian Jihadists who shared radical Islamic ideology. At the age of 32, he maintained a criminal record involving himself with drugs, acts of violence and other criminal activities. However, on October 22, Zehaf-Bibeau decided to act on his own. Dressed in blue jeans and a black jacket, he approached the Memorial’s guard at the time, Corporal Nathan Cirillo, and shot him twice in the back with an illegal .30-30 Winchester rifle. Once pedestrians crowded around the fatally wounded officer, Zehaf-Bibeau escaped to his vehicle, only to continue his ongoing murder spree in Parliament Hill.

After carjacking a federal vehicle assigned to the Ministers of the Crown and driving to the Parliament Building, Zehaf-Bineau entered the Centre Block through the main entrance with his rifle ready. A Commons security guard, Samearn Son, saw the perpetrator and his loaded rifle. He immediately grabbed the rifle, forcing it to the ground and yelled “Gun! Gun! Gun!” Once Son had alerted the nearby officers, Zehaf-Bineau shot him in the foot and gained control of the firearm. The guards arrived to the scene and started firing at Zehaf-Bineau. The fight moved from the Centre’s Hall to the alcove by the entrance to the Library of Congress.

Sergeant-at-Arms, Kevin Vickers, overheard gunfire near his office. With his 9mm handgun, he ran out to his fellow officers only to be told that the perpetrator hid in the alcove. Vickers searched the alcove with his team behind him and found Zehaf-Bibeau hiding behind the towering pillars. Stealthily and cautiously, Vickers caught him by surprise as he dove to the floor and fired at Zehaf-Bibeau.

During the shooting, Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Thomas Mulcair held a caucus meeting in the rooms in the Hall of Honour in the Centre Building. Harper, in response to the sound of gunfire, hid in a closet while the Members of Parliament barricaded the doors. Once Vickers found the barricaded Parliament members, he informed them what happened and said, “I put him down.”

Shortly after the incident in Parliament Hill, an unknown gunman entered the nearby Rideau Centre Mall around Parliament Hill. This gunman shot at the two guards by the entrance of the building but was quickly brought down by the quick reaction of the guards.

The three shootings called for Ottawa’s lockdown with a search for further potential shootings. Canada’s Parliament, the University of Ottawa and the United States Embassy were included in the downtown lockdown. As a reaction to the shootings, Canada responded to the acts of violence as Queen Elizabeth II,the Canadian Monarch and Ruler, issued a statement from her and Prince Philip expressing their shock and sadness. In Canada, Federal representative Governor General David Johnston extended his sympathies to the deceased Canadian Soldier, Nathan Cirillo, and gratitude for the “professionalism and courage of our security personnel and emergency responders.” Lastly, the Queen’s eldest son, Prince Charles, planned to attend multiple concerts in Europe to announce and dedicate the life of Nathan Cirillo for his bravery and honor.

Although the Muslim community was targeted for these acts of terror, a public statement by the Muslim Association of Canada (MAC) condemned the violence in Ottawa. MAC announced ,“[We] would like to offer its condolences to the victims of violence over the past week. We are horrified by these acts of violence, especially in the Parliament of our own country. We stand with all Canadians in condemning these attacks and seeking justice for those responsible.”

Although Ottawa was quickly secured and reestablished from the Parliament attack, multiple unanswered questions remain– Why did Michael Zehaf-Bibeau convert to Islam? Why did he first target Nathan Cirillo? Why did he decide to attack Parliament Hill? Who was his target? “We don’t have all the information about what motivated the shooting. We don’t yet have all the information about whether this was part of a broader network or plan,” President Obama announced hours after a telephone call with Mr. Harper. Sadly, Canada left these questions unanswered for the public. Multiple investigations have been active in Canada since October 22, but they are not alone. In addition to the Canadian investigations, multiple nation such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Malaysia and Australia have not only issued their own statements and condolences but offered political support towards the investigations. With their national support and the assistance from other countries, Canada has remained vigilant. “Let there be no misunderstanding… [We] will not be intimidated. Canada will never be intimidated,” Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper said in a TV address to his nation.