Thoughts and Prayers to the People of Ottawa Today

[tomalak301]

This has been quite a day with the shootings going on at the Canadian Parliament and I just wanted to offer thoughts and hope everyone up there affected by this will be ok. I don't entirely know what all is going on, but I do know that the soldier who was shot has been confirmed dead and that really sucks.

 

[TheSeeker]

The entire downtown core is in lockdown. The soldier shot and killed was a reservists acting as the ceremonial guard at the National War memorial. The gunman was later shot and killed in the Parliament building. Here is some pretty dramatic footage:

[yt]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVkow0_hC-Y[/yt]

 

[Warped9]

I live about an hour's drive from Ottawa. Reports seem to indicate their were two men attacking the Parliament buildings. One was shot dead by a security guard I believe. No word yet on the status of the other man, whether he was arrested or got away or whatever.

Too bad they didn't shoot the other fucker dead.

Advance word is that the dead gunmen might have originated from Montreal and is/was 22 years old and already had a criminal record.

 

[Owain Taggart]

I have a lot of family in Ottawa and thankful they're all Ok. My Brother in particular works for the government. For what exactly, I can't say, but his office has likely been buzzing with activity today. Also have a friend who works at Chateau Laurier who thankfully wasn't there today.

 

[Amaris]

That is terrible. My thoughts to the people of Ottawa.

 

[RJDiogenes]

An awful day for Ottawa, and all civilized people. My thoughts are with you.

 

[HIjol]

Indeed, and Huzzah to the Sergeant-at-Arms and others who put their lives on the line in order that the attack be stopped. America mourns with you, my Canadian friends

 

[Locutus of Bored]

It's a shame about the soldier who was killed (and the one earlier this week in another incident), but it's fortunate that the Sergeant-at-Arms (despite his own wound) and the first responders on the scene were able to limit the casualties to just that. A superb job all around in response to a horrible act.

 

[Peach Wookiee]

*hugs Canada*

 

[Warped9]

The epitath for these now dead radicalized youths: I killed innocents and threw away my life for nothing.

The mother of the gunman who was killed yesterday has come out publicly saying, "I cry for those who have died, but not for my son."

 

[bbailey861]

Events over the past week have confirmed that Canada - despite the belief of many - is by no means immune to terrorist action. It has been a barbarous education.

 

[Warped9]

Events over the past week have confirmed that Canada - despite the belief of many - is by no means immune to terrorist action. It has been a barbarous education.

It has always been only a matter of time.

 

[TheSeeker]

I'm living in New York right now but I am from Ottawa. It is so strange to walk past TVs with live coverage of an area I know so well. I used to go by the War Memorial all the time on my way to work.

 

[TheSeeker]

 

[Amaris]

Wow. That image just gets you right in the heart.

 

[RJDiogenes]

Indeed. It makes me think of the little boy from Dorchester who was killed in the Marathon bombing.

The mother of the gunman who was killed yesterday has come out publicly saying, "I cry for those who have died, but not for my son."

I feel sorry for that woman.

I'm living in New York right now but I am from Ottawa. It is so strange to walk past TVs with live coverage of an area I know so well. I used to go by the War Memorial all the time on my way to work.

It makes it so much so surreal when something like this happens in your own city.

 

[Haggis and tatties]

Just shocking, my heart and good thoughts go out to you all over there.

 

[Warped9]

This is an alarming news. I hope everything will be fine soon. However, part of the Affordable Care Act is the development of “health care exchanges.” The trades will essentially be online areas where people can shop for health insurance. The states are supposed to create them, but those that don't will get a federal exchange imposed on them.

What has this got to do with the attack in Ottawa?

 

[Peach Wookiee]

I think that's a spambot...

 

[Bisz]

Events over the past week have confirmed that Canada - despite the belief of many - is by no means immune to terrorist action. It has been a barbarous education.

Something I heard recently and it gave me something to think about.

Were these two acts really terrorism?

The driver who ran down two soldiers, killing one of them, waited for two hours, not attacking any civilians, until he could go after uniformed members of the armed forces.

In Ottawa, the attacker again bypassed the hundreds of civilians, shot a uniformed member of the armed forces and then attacked a government facility.

If we go with the theory that these attacks were related to the ISIS call for attacks on Canada, and not just the acts of deranged individuals who had history of mental illness and criminal behaviour before recently converting to Islam, and I'm not sure I'm in that camp, then they were going after legitimate targets.

Canada is participating in the military action against ISIS, we have sent combat planes and hundreds of military personnel to fight ISIS. As such, can we really say that ISIS striking Canadian military and government targets is terrorism?