Posted on 10/22/2014 12:57:45 PM PDT by naturalman1975
The man reported to have shot an assailant on Parliament Hill today is a former police officer with a background in providing security services for dignitaries, including members of the Royal Family.
Kevin Vickers, 58, a native of Miramichi, N.B., became the sergeant-at-arms in the House of Commons eight years ago after a varied career in security.
He spent 29 years with the RCMP and rose to the rank of chief superintendent, often serving as the face of the national police force in New Brunswick. Before his appointment as sergeant-of-arms, Vickers was director of security operations for the House of Commons.
The sergeant-at-arms is responsible for safeguarding the authority of the House of Commons, as well as the safety and security of the Parliament Buildings.
(Excerpt) Read more at cbc.ca ...
God Bless and protect Mr. Vickers and his family.
However, it has caused enough alarm, that the US government has posted more armed guards at the Tomb of the Unknowns, at what CNN is calling “hallowed ground.”
It appears the jihadist direct to kill soldiers, also means to kill the soldiers around fallen soliders.
Which makes me worried for our soldiers who guard the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington. What protections do they have?
In which case, I certainly hope they start issuing live ammo to the honour guard. In a few weeks, on Remembrance Day, that same location will be visited by thousands.
Also, a producer from one of your news stations reported to CNN that the gunman took off on foot from the war memorial to where the office is of the prime minister. He then jumped over a barricade ( another jumper!) and commandeered a car in that secured area, until he got to the Center Block, which I understand is the main building for parliament.
I can only think that he was so pumped with adrenalin and bravado after his first successful hit, that he made that incredible dash to where the caucus was being held, to get even greater notoriety.
I think the soldier on guard was shot point blank, and four shots were fired.
They said something that the Arlington Cemetery, has its own military detail, which makes its own decisions about security, and that more guards have been posted.
Canada has reached out to our security services because apparently they do not have this gunman in their records.
I second that!
Thanks for the info.
Your welcome.
I also just heard this Canadian reporter who was in the parliament building say that the shooting at the memorial was at 9:52 and he was in Center Block ( the parliament building) at 9:54 when he heard the gun shots. He said you had to be pretty fast the cover that much ground.
So, there are various reports on the number of gunman, and I am just paraphrasing what is on my DVR ( which is delayed one hour).
Basically correct. But so we're clear, the barricades around the Hill are not like the ones surrounding the White House: they're intended to block motor traffic, but not to stop pedestrians from entering the front lawn, which is public space.
Similarly, while there is security within the Centre Block, it consists of guards and metal detectors inside the doors. The building is a tourist attraction, after all. They can probably stop people from smuggling handguns or bombs into the building, but this guy actually rushed the doors, from what I understand.
I just heard Josh Wingrovefrom the The Globe and Mail, whose video shows the gunfight in the rotonda and the Hall of Honors, say that it appears that the gunman went through the side door, which he describes as not having metal detectors, so that the PMs and accredited journalist can get in and out quickly.
He is still not able to leave the building 6-9 hours later. He is with staffers and tourist, women, children and babies, who did not anticipate this ordeal.
I also heard that the construction workers who are working on renovations, used their scaffolding to get people out of the building.
Let us pray there will be no harm towards all that are trapped.
Let’s all remember to say a prayer for his safety.
Both Vickers and Jalbert had decades of para-military/military experience (30+ years of RCMP for Vickers and 30+ years with Canadian Forces for Jalbert).
Growing up in d’Ottawa, I remember a time when, without wearing any visible ID, if you knew where you were going made your way to the Parliamentary restaurant, you could get a four course meal for less than the price of a Mickey D’s meal, a few years after Chartier blew himself up in a bathroom on the Hill.
Thank you for that - that certainly does qualify as another Sergeant-at-Arms of a Parliament doing the ancient job to perfection.
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