WASHINGTON — Following Wednesday’s shooting in Ottawa that claimed the life of a Canadian soldier, U.S. President Barack Obama phoned Prime Minister Stephen Harper and pledged that the U.S. is “going to do everything we can to make sure we are standing side by side with Canada during this difficult time.”
Obama told reporters at the White House that he gave his condolences to the families of the soldier killed earlier this week and of the soldier killed Wednesday while guarding the National War Memorial as well as to the Canadian people.
“We don’t yet have all the information about what motivated the shooting,” he said. “We don’t yet have all the information about whether this was part of a broader network or plan or whether this was an individual or series of individuals who decided to take these actions. But it emphasized the degree to which we must remain vigilant when it comes to dealing with these kinds of acts of senseless violence or terrorism.
He pledged to Harper that he will assure U.S. national security teams are “co-ordinating very closely given (that) not only is Canada one of our closest allies but our neighbours and our friends and obviously there is a lot of interaction between Canadians the the United States where we have such a long border.”
He said he was “shaken” by the attack on Parliament. Asked if it was possible that this was a lone-wolf attack, Obama said, “there are a lot of possible threats that are foiled or disrupted that don’t always get reported on and the work of the military, our intelligence teams, the Central Intelligence Agency, the intelligence community more broadly, our local law enforcement and state law enforcement officials, we owe them all a great deal of thanks.”
Obama’s chief counter-terrorism adviser, Lisa Monaco, briefed him soon after the shooting incidents on Parliament Hill and at the National War Memorial.
White House spokesperson, Josh Earnest, said at a White House briefing “the thoughts and prayers of everybody here at the White House go out to the families of those who were affected by today’s shootings in Canada as well as to the family of the soldier who was killed earlier this week.”
“Canada is one of the closest friends and allies of the United States,” he said. “From issues ranging from the strength of the NATO alliance, to the Ebola response to dealing with ISIL, there is a strong partnership and friendship and alliance between the United States and Canada. The United States strongly values that relationship and that relationship makes the citizens of this country safer.”
Cpl. Nathan Cirillo, 24, died after being shot at the Canadian War Memorial in Ottawa. Photo: Facebook
U.S. security and FBI officials are in close contact with Canadian police and intelligence as they try to trace potential connections between the dead Ottawa shooter and other terrorists. They also are trying to assess the possibility of a copycat attack in the U.S., one official said.
The U.S./Canada North American Aerospace Defence (NORAD) command upgraded its alert status. The U.S. is also cautioning its military bases to be aware of possible copycat attacks on soldiers similar to the one this week that killed a Canadian soldier in St. Jean-Sur-Richelieu. Officials at Arlington cemetery, the iconic burial place for many U.S. soldiers, increased security in light of the fact that a Canadian soldier was shot while guarding the National War Memorial.
Security around the White House and the U.S. Capitol is normally much tighter than in Ottawa and there was no sign it had been increased.
Other world leaders also offered their condolences.
United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said in a statement that his “thoughts are with the people and government of Canada at this difficult time.”
U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron wrote on Twitter that “I’m appalled by today’s attack in Ottawa. I offer my full support to PM Harper and the Canadian people as they deal with this incident.”
India Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted that “News of the attack in Ottawa is extremely disturbing. I pray for everyone’s safety.”
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said on Twitter he called Harper “and expressed our condolences and solidarity with Canada, following the horrific murder of an Canadian soldier.”
Officials with the Canadian embassy in Washington denied reports that the embassy was under lockdown.
“The embassy is not on lockdown,” spokesperson Christine Constantin said. “We have locked the door, but members of the public can still enter the embassy by buzzing us.”
The embassy has, however, cancelled its annual BBQ, which was to be held Wednesday evening at the Ambassador Gary Doer’s official residence.
wmarsden@postmedia.com
Shooting in Ottawa, action on Wellington St. October 22, 2014. (Jean Levac/Ottawa Citizen)
An Ottawa police officer runs with his weapon drawn in Ottawa on Wednesday Oct.22, 2014.Police are expanding a security perimeter in the heart of the national capital after a gunman opened fire and wounded a soldier at the National War Memorial before injuring a security guard on Parliament Hill, where he was reportedly shot dead by Parliament’s sergeant-at-arms. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
An Ottawa police office draws her weapon in Ottawa on Wednesday Oct.22, 2014. Police are expanding a security perimeter in the heart of the national capital after a gunman opened fire and wounded a soldier at the National War Memorial before injuring a security guard on Parliament Hill, where he was reportedly shot dead by Parliament’s sergeant-at-arms. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
An Ottawa police officer runs with his weapon drawn in Ottawa. Police are expanding a security perimeter in the heart of the national capital after a gunman opened fire and wounded a soldier at the National War Memorial before injuring a security guard on Parliament Hill, where he was reportedly shot dead by Parliament’s sergeant-at-arms. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
An Ottawa police officer runs with his weapon drawn in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
Sergeant-at-arms Kevin Vickers of the House of Commons leads MPs out of the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on March 3. Vickers shot an assailant on Parliament Hill on Wednesday. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Pawel Dwulit
This photo provided by the Prime Minister’s office shows the head of RCMP Bob Paulson briefs Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper on the shooting. (AP Photo/Canada Prime Minister Office)
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