Ottawa shooting: A timeline of events from RCMP - Action News
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Ottawa shooting: A timeline of events from RCMP

Here's a brief timeline of events that unfolded in downtown Ottawa on Wednesday morning as recounted by RCMP Commissioner Bob Paulson during a news conference Thursday.

Ottawa shooting

10 years ago
Duration 4:12
The latest news on the attack on Parliament Hill

RCMP Commissioner Bob Paulsongavea detailed account of the attacks thatunfolded in downtown Ottawa on Wednesday morning, beginning with the fatal shooting of Cpl.NathanCirillo at the National War Memorial and ending with the dramatic events that unfolded inside Parliament's Centre Block.

Police were able to piece together the events that transpired at the National War Memorial through first-hand accounts from several witnesses,Paulsonsaid during a news conference in Ottawa on Thursday.

The suspect was caught on video once he was in his car driving along Wellington St. up to Parliament Hill. From there, a number of security cameras captured the suspect from various angles making his way up to Centre Block.

It was "a fluid and dangerous situation," Paulson said.

Here is a timeline of events:

9:50:00 a.m.Witnesses reportseeing the gunman coming from behind the National War Memorial, on the west side where he fired twice at Cpl. NathanCirillo.The shooter also fired one shot at the second reservist guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier but missed.

Paulson said witnesses heard the suspect "yelling something" in Englishbefore running north. What he said is not known. The suspect usesa beige-coloured vehicle to make his way to Parliament.

9:52:23a.m.From the National War Memorial, the suspect is seen on camera driving his car onWellington Streetand parking it at the Elgin Streetentrance of Parliament Hill.

9:52:31a.m.Here the suspect is seen accessing the grounds on foot. He getsout of his car carrying a weapon and running through the security posts and up towards the east block where MPs' cars areparked.

A handful of people are seen running away from him.This moment is captured by at leastthree different security cameras, each providing a different view.

9:52:36 a.m.Paulson said this is when the first 911 calls were made.

9:52:40 a.m.The suspect is seen running on the grasstowards three cars parked along the East Block.

9:52:50 a.m.The gunman runstowards the first of three cars which is occupied by a driver. The suspect goes around to the front of the car to the driver's side. Thereis an exchange with the driver,who then gets out of the car and runs away.

9:53:16a.m.The suspect hijacks the ministerial car and drives off from the East Block towards Parliament's Centre Block.

9:53:23 a.m."It's at this point that those actions were noticed by RCMP officers," Paulsonsaid. An RCMP vehicle, with the driver's door opened,is seen in pursuit of the suspect.

9:53:36 a.m.A second RCMP car is also in pursuit.

9:53:37a.m.The suspect's car comes to a stop onthe left side of the Peace Tower. Hegets out of his carand runs towards the front doors of Centre Block.

9:53:43 a.m.Police officers pursue the suspect to the door.

9:53:46 a.m.The suspect enters Centre Block seconds before the RCMP officers who were chasing him reachthe main entrance doors.

It took little more than one minute for the suspect to go from Wellington to Centre Block."It was incredibly quick," Paulsonsaid.

9:53:57 a.m.A third RCMP vehicle arrives at the entrance of Parliament.

"Once inside Centre Block, the suspect engaged in a fire exchange with House of Commons security and RCMP officers," Paulson said.

The exact details of this dramatic "fire exchange" are still under investigation.

The suspect, later identified as Michael Zehaf-Bibeau, was pronounced dead at the scene.