Canadian Attack at Parliament Hill in Ottawa - Soldier Died

Heavily armed Canadian police backed by armored vehicles surrounded the country's parliament buildings in Ottawa, after at least one gunman shot a soldier guarding the nearby National War Memorial.



The soldier, taken to a local hospital, later died of his wounds, local media and a government minister said.



After opening fire at the War Memorial, witnesses said the gunman escaped in the direction of the parliament buildings, and multiple reports said there was an exchange of gunfire in the parliament headquarters.



The Canadian Broadcasting Company reports police have confirmed that one gunman was shot and killed in the central parliament building.



A spokesman for Prime Minister Stephen Harper says he left the area of the shooting and is "safe."



Harper was to make a statement later Wednesday.



The shooting comes two days after an Islamic convert in a car ran down two Canadian soldiers, killing one, near Montreal.



Witnesses said a second man may have been working with the shooter. Both men wore scarves with the same design, wrapped around their heads.



Reporters at the scene said police are treating the situation as if there is more than one gunman.



Gunfire was still being reported about an hour after the incident began at 1500 UT (10:00 a.m. EDT).



Authorities had raised the threat level in the country from low to medium, local media reported.

No one had yet claimed responsibility for the attack.

Canadian Attack at Parliament Hill in Ottawa - Soldier Died