Independent Investigation Into the Death of Michael Zehaf-Bibeau

Foreword

On Wednesday, October, 22, 2014, Michael ZEHAF-BIBEAU, while sitting in his vehicle, recorded on video, a manifesto declaring that "Aiming at some soldiers" was in retaliation for Canada's Military action in Afghanistan and Iraq.

At 9:53 a.m., on October 22, 2014, Michael ZEHAF-BIBEAU parked his car along Wellington Street behind the National War Memorial in downtown Ottawa. ZEHAF-BIBEAU then exited his vehicle with a loaded .30-30 Winchester rifle and ran up behind Corporal Nathan CIRILLO, one of two sentries who were posted at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. ZEHAF-BIBEAU killed Corporal Nathan CIRILLO by shooting him three times in the back. While several people, including *****,*****,*****,*****, and civilians ***** and *****, rushed to render medical assistance to Corporal CIRILLO, ZEHAF-BIBEAU ran back to his vehicle and drove to the entrance of East Block on Wellington Street. He again left his vehicle carrying his rifle and commandeered a limousine that was parked outside East Block. ZEHAF-BIBEAU drove the stolen car to the west side of Centre Block. He entered the Peace Tower by the front doors where two unarmed House of Commons Security Services uniform officers were stationed. ***** struggled with ZEHAF-BIBEAU until he fired a round that ricocheted off the floor striking ***** in the lower leg. ZEHAF-BIBEAU then pointed his rifle directly at the chest of the other officer, *****, before starting to run up the stairs. Three armed House of Commons Security Services plain clothes officers, who heard the shot and were standing in the rotunda at the top of the stairs, drew their firearms. ***** and ***** and ***** fired their 9mm handguns, a total of ten times, at ZEHAF-BIBEAU as he ran north towards the Library of Parliament. As he neared the Hall of Honour, ZEHAF-BIBEAU turned and fired one round nearly striking *****. A fourth armed House of Commons Security Services officer, *****, fired seventeen rounds at ZEHAF-BIBEAU as he continued to run northbound in the Hall of Honour. ZEHAF-BIBEAU reached the end of the hall and concealed himself behind a cement pillar near the doors to the Library of Parliament. Several members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) responded and entered Centre Block. Four officers formed into an "IARD" formation and started to proceed in the direction of the Library of Parliament. ***** left his office with his firearm and moved along the east wall until he reached the opposite side of the cement pillar where ZEHAF-BIBEAU was hiding. When the RCMP officers were within ten feet of him, ZEHAF-BIBEAU fired one round narrowly missing the officers. RCMP ***** and ***** immediately returned fire.

***** fired fourteen rounds and ***** fired fifteen rounds. Michael ZEHAF-BIBEAU died at the scene as a result of the gunshot wounds.

Introduction

The following summary of the death of Michael ZEHAF-BIBEAU on Wednesday, October 22, 2014, was prepared from information obtained from interviews from members of the House of Commons Security Services, the RCMP, members of the media and civilians.

On October 23, 2014, the Commissioner of the RCMP, and on October 29, 2014, the Speaker of the House of Commons, requested the Commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) to conduct an independent investigation into the shooting death of Michael ZEHAF-BIBEAU that occurred on October 22, 2014. The Director of Criminal Investigation Services assigned a Major Case Manager to lead this investigation.

The OPP investigation involved the interviewing of members of the RCMP, House of Commons Security Services officers, civilians, as well as the examination and analysis of evidence. Members of the OPP Forensic Identification Services were not able to examine the crime scene prior to its release but provided forensic examination of items seized by the Identification Unit of the RCMP. The OPP Forensic Identification Services also collected and prepared scene exhibits from the RCMP and House of Commons Security Services to be examined by various sections of the Centre of Forensic Sciences in Toronto, Ontario.

Although the mandate of the OPP is to investigate what occurred inside the House of Commons on Wednesday, October 22, 2014, in relation to the shooting death of Michael ZEHAF-BIBEAU, in order to give a thorough chronological history of the event, a complete overview of the events that took place that morning is deemed necessary.

Events leading up to House of Commons

Michael ZEHAF-BIBEAU was a thirty-two year old male who had recently moved from British Columbia to Ontario and was staying at the Ottawa Mission on Waller Street in Ottawa.

On Saturday, October 4, 2014, Michael ZEHAH-BIBEAU attended Centre Block and entered through the Visitor Welcome Centre on the first floor. ZEHAF-BIBEAU went through the screening centre and was searched and allowed into the building. He then went on a guided tour of the Parliament building which included the House of Commons, Senate, Hall of Honour, and the Library of Parliament.

On October 20, 2014, ZEHAF-BIBEAU purchased a grey 1995 Toyota Corolla from a local Ottawa resident, using Kijiji, the online classified advertisement site. ZEHAF-BIBEAU attempted to register this vehicle on October 21, 2014, but was denied an ownership document and licence plates as he did not have any automotive insurance.

On the morning of Wednesday, October, 22, 2014, Michael ZEHAF-BIBEAU recorded himself on video declaring his disapproval of Canadian Military action in Afghanistan and Iraq. At approximately 9:47 a.m., ZEHAF-BIBEAU drove his Toyota Corolla (without registration and licence plates) eastbound on Wellington Street and parked it along the curb in the live lane of traffic on the south side of Wellington Street behind the National War Memorial. He exited his vehicle with a .30- 30 Winchester Model 94 lever action rifle and ran along the west side of the National War Memorial. ZEHAF-BIBEAU was dressed in dark clothing and was wearing a white and black Keffiyeh scarf that covered his mouth and nose. As he neared the front of the National War Memorial, he stopped within ten feet of one of the two sentries from the Ceremonial guard. These soldiers were from the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada and were guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. ***** was on the east side of the Tomb and Corporal Nathan CIRILLO was posted on the west side. At 9:50:00 a.m., Michael ZEHAF-BIBEAU raised and pointed his rifle at Corporal CIRILLO and fired one shot into his back. Corporal CIRILLO started to fall to his hands and knees. As Corporal CIRILLO started to crawl towards the east side of the tomb, Michael ZEHAF-BIBEAU fired another shot into CIRILLO's lower back. Corporal CIRILLO moved to the east side of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and lay on his stomach in the prone position. ZEHAF-BIBEAU moved towards the fallen soldier and fired a third and final shot into the back of Corporal CIRILLO. Michael ZEHAF-BIBEAU, who at this point was immediately in front of the National War Memorial, turned to his right, raised his right hand and yelled something similar to "Iraq". He then turned and ran back along the west side of the National War Memorial to his parked vehicle on Wellington Street.

Approach to Centre Block

At 9:52:23 a.m., Michael ZEHAF-BIBEAU returned to his vehicle with his weapon and drove in reverse, westbound in the eastbound lanes of Wellington Street for approximately sixty metres and stopped on Elgin Street. He then proceeded north across Wellington Street, against turning southbound traffic, to the westbound lanes of Wellington Street. This area of Wellington Street is divided by a raised cement median except for the area of the three northbound turning lanes at the intersection of Elgin Street. ZEHAF-BIBEAU then drove westbound on Wellington Street towards the entrance to Parliament Hill. He stopped his vehicle in the curb side lane in front of the Elgin Street gate. Traffic to Parliament Hill through the Elgin Street gate was blocked by several raised bollards. ZEHAF-BIBEAU stopped his vehicle, got out with his rifle and ran around the rear of his car towards the gate. He then ran between the bollards on the Elgin Street entrance towards Lower Drive. He went across Lower Drive and ran northbound on the sidewalk in front of East Block.

Wednesday, October 22, 2014, was caucus day at the House of Commons. This day results in Centre Block being much busier than normal. In the Reading Room where the Conservative caucus is held, there were approximately 150 Members of Parliament, several Senators, and the Prime Minister. In the Railway Committee Room, directly across from the Reading Room, there were approximately eighty Members of Parliament and the Leader of the Official Opposition. Because it was caucus day, several media teams were present, waiting to interview Members of Parliament as they entered and left their caucus meetings. Several members of the public, along with House of Commons public tours, were also in Centre Block.

RCMP ***** was conducting a stationary patrol at the north end of East Drive. As she sat in her marked police cruiser she noticed a female pushing a baby carriage running to her location. ***** exited her vehicle to talk to the lady. The female yelled, "Let me in your car. Let me in your car. There is a man with a gun." ***** directed the lady to immediately leave the area and looked towards the south end of East Drive. ***** saw a man run up to a black parked car carrying an object in his hands. The occupant of the vehicle got out of the car and ran very quickly towards Wellington Street. The man who approached the parked car got into the vehicle and sat in the driver's seat.

Parked in a row along the sidewalk in front of the East Block were three black Chrysler 300 limousines. The lead vehicle of the group was occupied by Mr. *****, a driver for a Member of Parliament. He reported that ZEHAF-BIBEAU walked to the front of his vehicle and then approached the driver's side window. At 9:53:16 a.m., Michael ZEHAF-BIBEAU stated to Mr. *****, "Get out of the car and I won't kill you." Mr. ***** complied with the demands of ZEHAF- BIBEAU and exited his car. The vehicle rolled backward slightly and Mr. ***** ran towards Wellington Street. ZEHAF-BIBEAU got into the Chrysler 300 and started driving north on East Drive at a high rate of speed.

***** watched as the Chrysler 300 sped directly at her. She feared that this vehicle was going to strike her cruiser. *****, based on the report from the female with the baby carriage, announced over the police radio that there was a guy with a gun at East Block. The man had stolen a black car and was rushing towards Centre Block. Just as the Chrysler 300 reached ***** location, it drove past her and went westbound on Top Drive. ***** radioed her fellow officers and reported, "That's the guy. It's a black car." At 9:53:23 a.m., ***** pursued the car as it drove to the west side of the entrance to the Centre Block. ***** saw the vehicle slow down and the driver's door open suddenly. A man jumped out while the car was still moving towards the building. ***** parked her cruiser, exited, and ran towards the entrance of the Peace Tower. As ***** approached the building, she came across House of Commons Security Services *****, who was bent over and standing on the roadway. ***** asked ***** if he was okay and he told ***** that he had been shot in the leg. ***** also told ***** that a gunman had gone into the building and was back near the Library. ***** requested an ambulance and went to meet other RCMP officers who had arrived.

RCMP ***** was sitting in his marked cruiser, which was parked facing west directly in front of the Peace Tower on Top Drive. ***** heard *****'s radio transmission and turned his cruiser around to face east. ***** saw a black Chrysler 300 pass him, going west, driving at a high rate of speed. ***** was not yet aware that the man with the gun had just driven by him. At 9:53:36 a.m., ***** saw ***** pursuing the vehicle, so he turned around and followed the two vehicles. ***** had started to pursue the black Chrysler 300 westbound on Top Drive even before she closed her cruiser door. ***** observed that ***** was pursuing the black vehicle so he turned his cruiser around and joined in the pursuit.

***** saw a male exit the black Chrysler 300 with a rifle in his hands and then run into Centre Block. ***** parked his vehicle and ran to the entrance of the building and formed up with other RCMP officers.

Entry to Centre Block

When Michael ZEHAF-BIBEAU reached the top of East Drive, he drove west on Top Drive. At 9:53:37 a.m., he stopped the black car on the west side of the Peace Tower. He exited the vehicle, leaving it in gear, and then ran towards the west side of the main entrance to Centre Block.

Bank of Canada Business Development employees, *****, *****, ***** and ***** were leaving the Centre Block around 9:50 a.m., after attending several morning meetings. As they walked out onto the pavement in front of the Peace Tower, they all saw a black sedan driving erratically towards them. The car stopped and they watched as the driver jumped out, even before the vehicle came to a stop. The driver, who was wearing black clothes and a "Palestinian" scarf over his face, reached back into the car and grabbed a rifle and a knife. ***** heard the man with the gun yell some sort of "war cry." He believed it sounded something similar to Allahu Akbar, (GOD is greater. GOD is the greatest). All four bank employees watched the man with the gun run into the Parliament Building.

***** was parked in a marked RCMP cruiser on Top Drive facing in a southwest position towards the West Block. ***** had his cruiser window down and heard what he believed were four gunshots coming from the downtown area. He had also heard the recent radio transmission by *****. He immediately exited his vehicle and drew his firearm. ***** initially ran to the area of the Centennial flame, assuming the gunman was on foot. He noticed other cruisers rushing to Centre Block so he started to run towards the front doors of the Peace Tower. He saw a man with long hair and wearing a scarf running towards the front door of the Centre Block. Before the man entered the building, ***** heard the man yell something that was unintelligible to him. As ***** neared the entrance to Centre Block, he heard a loud gunshot followed by several 9 millimetre handgun shots. ***** entered the front entrance of Centre Block and noticed the rotunda area was filled with gun smoke. He also saw a House of Commons Security Services uniform officer taking cover behind a pillar. ***** ducked down as he heard more gunshots and felt something hit his uniform pants. When ***** looked down, he saw that a bullet had gone through his pants without striking his leg. He stayed at the bottom of the stairs until more RCMP officers arrived.

House of Commons Personnel Involvement

House of Commons Uniform ***** and ***** had been posted *****. At 9:53:46 a.m., ZEHAF-BIBEAU opened the west door and while entering the foyer, yelled something similar to, "Someone is going to get it today." or "Have a nice day." or "Get out of my way." ***** noticed that the male was attempting to conceal an object in his jacket. He determined that it was a rifle, yelled "Gun!" and immediately lunged towards ZEHAF-BIBEAU. ***** could now clearly see that ZEHAF-BIBEAU had a rifle. At 9:53:51 a.m., as he attempted to gain control of the firearm, he heard the gun discharge a round. When ***** retreated from ZEHAF-BIBEAU, he saw that the rifle was pointed directly at him.

***** watched as his partner, *****, struggled with the gunman. As ***** pulled back from the struggle, the gunman turned and pointed the firearm directly at the chest of *****. The gunman looked ***** directly in the eye and then turned and started to run up the stairs.

***** felt he had to stop the gunman and started to pursue him. When the gunman reached the top of the stairs, ***** saw him discharge another round from his rifle. ***** remembered that he was unarmed and turned around and ran back down the stairs and exited the building. As ***** took cover behind a cement post in the parking lot, his attention was drawn to several RCMP officers rushing into Centre Block. ***** yelled information of the gunman's description and location to the officers. While scanning the area for more gunmen, ***** noticed blood on his shoe. ***** lifted up his pant leg and saw a hole in his sock about three inches above his right ankle.

*****, who had remained in the building, watched as the gunman reached the top of the stairs of the rotunda and fired his rifle in the direction of the Hall of Honour. ***** saw his partner run outside and followed him to a place of cover. While moving outside, ***** yelled, "Shots fired! Shots fired!" While behind cover and speaking to his partner, he noticed that ***** had been shot in the leg.

*****, Protocol Officers at Parliament Hill, were standing in the rotunda at the top of the steps waiting for the arrival of a dignitary. At about 9:50 a.m., ***** heard a security guard yell "Gunman!" ***** turned towards and faced the main entrance to Centre Block. She saw a man pointing a large gun at one of the security guards. ***** and ***** grabbed each other and started to run towards the west side of the Hall of Honour. As they were running for cover, they heard a shot being fired. At this sound, ***** fell to the ground pulling ***** with her. ***** and ***** scrambled to a security desk on the west side of the rotunda. While hidden under the desk, they could hear several gunshots being fired, but could not see who was shooting. ***** noticed while she was under the desk that she had a superficial wound on her leg from something striking her as she ran.

Media Personnel

As it was caucus day, several media outlets were present at Centre Block to interview Ministers after their meetings. ***** is a cameraman with CTV National News. At 9:55 a.m., after covering the caucus meetings, he was standing on the west side of the rotunda when he heard a loud noise. He looked towards the source of the sound and saw people yelling and running towards him. He heard what sounded to him to be two gunshots. ***** dove behind a stone pillar in the rotunda for cover. While in this position, he saw a man run by him with a rifle in his hands. He heard several other gunshots as the man ran northbound in the Hall of Honour.

***** is a sound technician for Global Television. At about 9:50 a.m., he was standing at the top of the stairs in the rotunda facing the entrance. He had started to walk down the stairs to leave the building, when he saw one of the doors open and a man walk through the doorway carrying a rifle. He saw the security guards immediately confront the gunman. ***** heard someone yell "Run!" and he turned around and rushed back up the steps to the rotunda. He then ran down the south west corridor and heard a volley of gunfire as he left the building.

***** is a camera operator for CTV National News. She was having a break in the rotunda, sitting in a chair next to the wall, when she heard loud noises. She saw people move for cover so she did the same thing. She heard multiple gunshots but did not see who was shooting.

***** is a cameraman for TVA, a French television network. ***** was standing at the entrance to the Conservative caucus room along the Hall of Honour. He heard two shots coming from the entrance to Centre Block and saw people running so he jumped behind a pillar. He soon heard several gunshots near the Library of Parliament. ***** could tell that some shots sounded differently than others.

***** is a reporter for Rogers Television. He had just finished interviewing a Minister and was sitting in a chair in the rotunda near the north corridor. ***** heard screaming and yelling and saw people running in every direction. He saw people coming directly at him and heard gunshots at the same time. He then noticed that House of Commons Security Services officers had their guns drawn. He ran westbound for cover in the south corridor until the shooting was over.

***** is a cameraman with Global National News. He was standing at the top of the stairs in the rotunda when he looked towards the bottom of the stairs. He saw the west door open and a man carrying a long rifle enter the building. The man was not trying to conceal the gun. The man with the gun was wearing a greyish scarf that was covering his face. The man then abruptly held the gun up and pointed it at one of the two guards. He heard the gunman yell something and then heard a really loud noise. ***** ran westbound on the south corridor and then heard several gun shots.

***** is a staff reporter with the Toronto Globe and Mail. At approximately 9:50 a.m., he was standing in the southwest corridor near the rotunda. ***** then heard what he thought was a shot from a rifle. He then heard several gunshots and saw a security officer with his gun drawn take cover behind a stone pillar. ***** saw the officers move in a northerly direction towards the Hall of Honour. He started to walk behind the officers, videotaping the incident on his BlackBerry. He followed the officers until a volley of gunfire of approximately two dozen shots erupted. ***** then saw an officer put up his hand to indicate to other officers to stop shooting. He then watched as the officers checked the body that was on the ground.

***** is a cameraman with the CBC. At about 9:50 a.m., he was standing in the rotunda near the southwest corridor with his co-worker, *****. He heard a loud bang and then heard the people in the rotunda start shouting. ***** then heard a lot of shots and took cover behind an alcove along the west wall of the Hall of Honour, just north of the rotunda. He did not see the gunman go past him but noticed several members of the RCMP proceed northbound in the Hall of Honour. When the officers past his location, he partially came out from behind the alcove and videotaped the officers until he was instructed to leave the area.

***** is a cameraman, soundman and editor with the CBC. At approximately 9:50 a.m., while standing near the southwest corridor, he heard someone yell, "Drop it! Drop it!" Immediately after hearing these commands, ***** heard several gunshots. He hid in the alcove along the Hall of Honour with his co-worker *****. ***** did not see the gunman pass his location and watched as ***** videotaped the RCMP officers proceeding down the Hall of Honour towards the Library of Parliament. ***** heard three series of shots and could detect a strong odour of gun smoke. ***** did not see any officers fire their pistols.

***** is a soundman with the CBC. He arrived at the Centre Block around 9:25 a.m., and proceeded to the foyer in front of the House of Commons that is about fifty metres west of the rotunda. At about 9:50 a.m., while waiting for ministers to arrive, he heard someone yell, "Gun! Gun! Gun!" He heard approximately four blasts from a heavier calibre gun and then several shots from a smaller calibre gun. He stayed at the foyer and did not see the gunman or who was shooting.

***** is a cameraman with the CBC. He was standing in the foyer near the House of Commons waiting to interview ministers leaving the meeting room. ***** heard the first shot and then someone yelling, "Gun! Gun! Gun!" He could immediately smell gun smoke. ***** started to film the actions of the people in the rotunda from his location at the foyer. ***** saw members of the RCMP come into the rotunda but did not see the gunman.

***** is a cameraman with the CBC, assigned to Parliament Hill. At approximately 9:50 a.m., he was asked to go to the first floor to attend the Liberal Party caucus room. Just after he arrived there, he heard a loud noise that he thought was coming from the construction outside. He then heard several shots coming from the second floor, so he started to film the activity that was happening. He did not see ZEHAF-BIBEAU or any of the officers engaged in the gunfight.

House of Commons Security Services officers

***** had just escorted the Prime Minister to the caucus room and had met ***** and *****, two members of his security team. They were standing *****. ***** heard a loud bang and then someone yell, "Gun! Gun! Gun!" He immediately took cover behind the column and drew his firearm. ***** peered around his cover and saw a man, dressed in dark clothing with a scarf over his face, running up the west side of the stairs with a rifle in his hands. The gunman yelled something in a foreign language, that was muffled because of the scarf, as he was charging forward. ***** saw that as the gunman reached the top of the stairs, he fired his rifle in the direction of the Library of Parliament. At 9:53:55 a.m., ***** had a clear view of the gunman and shot at him. He fired several rounds and believed he struck him several times and was surprised that the gunman did not fall down. At 9:53:56 a.m., ***** noticed that the gunman's rifle was pointed in his direction and then he heard another shot fired. ***** saw that the gunman looked surprised that ***** was there as he continued to run forward. ***** checked himself to see if he was hit and then yelled, "Shots fired!" on his radio. ***** then fired more rounds at the gunman as he moved northbound in the Hall of Honour. He ceased firing when the gunman got farther away from him because of the danger to his fellow officers. ***** then feared that there may be more gunmen, so he looked towards the front door and saw four members of the RCMP running into the Centre Block. ***** discreetly gave the officers hand signals and verbal commands to direct them to the gunman. He then moved along the east wall of the Hall of Honour and heard the gunman fire another shot. He heard several 9 millimetre shots fired in return. ***** was then directed by House of Commons Security Services ***** to lock the main doors at the front of the building.

***** was discussing the recent murder of a Canadian Soldier in Montreal with ***** when he heard a ruckus at the base of the steps to the rotunda. ***** heard a loud bang and could not determine the source of the noise. He then turned to his right and saw a man walking up the stairs carrying a gun. ***** was standing by two stone pillars and stood behind one of them and drew his firearm. At this point, ***** was within three metres of the gunman who was moving northward. ***** fired five rounds at the man and believed he struck him in the chest at least once. The gunman did not fall and raised his rifle at him. ***** dove behind a stone pillar just as he heard the gunman fire another round. As he struggled to get up, he noticed that the gunman was running northward in the Hall of Honour towards the Library of Parliament. ***** then heard radio reports that there was a possible shooter at the west entrance near the Visitor Welcome Centre. He rushed to this location and did not see any other shooter. He gave commands to everyone to leave the area and get away from the building. ***** then heard more shooting in the Hall of Honour and made his way to the rotunda area. He assisted locking the main doors of the Centre Block and then stood guard at his post *****.

***** was listening to the discussion of his co-workers *****, when he noticed a man open one of the doors. As this male came in the west door, ***** saw that he had a rifle in his hands. He watched as the male pointed the rifle at ***** and then lowered the gun towards the ground. ***** then heard a shot go off. *****, who was not armed, ran along the east corridor and went down the stairs that lead to the first floor. While moving, he yelled on his radio, "Gunshot at main door! Gunshot at main door!" As he was giving this information, he heard another shot fired. As he neared the first floor, he heard several more shots being fired. Once he arrived on the first floor, he heard over his radio that the gunman was near the Library of Parliament and that he was down. ***** was instructed to locate the first aid kit and defibrillator and take them to officers attending to the gunman. ***** delivered these items and then assisted with the removal of the Prime Minister.

*****. He heard shouting and yelling and when he looked towards the location of the sound, he saw a man with a gun at the top of the stairs. The man was dressed in dark clothing and had a white scarf covering part of his face. ***** was not armed, so he crawled under the desk to get cover. He heard a shot that he believed was fired by the gunman and then another two gunshots. After the third shot, he emerged from under the desk and took cover behind a stone pillar near *****. ***** noticed an empty magazine beside ***** and felt dust and debris falling on him. He saw that the gunman was in the Hall of Honour and members of the RCMP running into the building. When the officers passed his location, he ran into an adjacent office and hid there.

***** had been posted *****, *****. ***** was standing in the rotunda, along with *****, ***** and was watching the many people who had arrived for caucus day. ***** heard a gunshot and watched several people start running in different directions. Over her radio, she heard someone report, "Shots fired outside." Because ***** was unarmed, she ran into the boutique and checked on the occupant of the store. She then looked out the window and saw one of the security guards at the main entrance, hiding behind a post for cover. ***** stayed in the boutique until she heard more shots fired. She returned to the area of the rotunda to see if she could be of assistance, but armed officers were dealing with the gunman. ***** stayed in the boutique until the building was secured.

***** was posted *****. He had a good view of the rotunda but not the main entrance of the Centre Block. ***** saw that the rotunda area was very busy because it was caucus day. He heard an unusually loud noise that caught his attention. He heard high-pitched screaming and yelling coming from the area of the front entrance. ***** heard ***** yell some command and then saw him drop to one knee and draw his firearm. A loud gunshot was fired and ***** immediately drew his firearm. As he was trying to get ***** attention, he saw a man with a gun in the rotunda. ***** had a clear visual and a small window of opportunity so he fired his weapon several times at the gunman. The gunman kept moving northbound and ***** had to cease shooting because of the other people now in his line of fire. ***** was then told by ***** that there was only one gunman in the building. ***** ran back to the door he was covering to ensure that access to the Prime Minister was secured. ***** then went part way down the east hall of the Hall of Honour until he saw several officers near the library. He went back to the rotunda to guard against other intruders.

***** and ***** are Protocol Officers for the House of Commons. They were standing together at the top of the steps in the rotunda waiting for the arrival of the Mayor of Haras, France. Both heard one of the security guards at the front doors to Centre Block yell, "Gunman!" ***** looked down the stairs and saw a man with his rifle pointed directly at the security officer. Immediately after this, ***** heard a shot being fired and believed the security guard was dead. ***** and ***** were standing directly in front of the gunman at the top of the stairs when the man started running up the stairs. ***** believed that the gunman looked directly at her and that is when she grabbed ***** and started to run towards the east corridor. As they neared the entrance to the east corridor, ***** fell to the ground. ***** grabbed her and pulled her to safety under a desk that was on the west side of the rotunda. Once there, ***** noticed that the reason she had fallen was that she had been grazed by something that hit her leg. While taking cover under the desk, both ***** heard approximately forty shots being fired. Also overheard by both, were people yelling and then the sound of gunshots. They could tell that there was a distinct difference in the sound of the shots of the gunman and the police weapons.

***** was at his post *****. He was standing with plain clothes officer ***** when he heard a gunshot and someone yell, "Gun! Gun!" He saw ***** draw his weapon and fire several shots towards the rotunda. *****, who was unarmed, did not see the threat that ***** was firing at but immediately ran into the Conservative caucus room. ***** knew that the room held Members of Parliament, Senators and the Prime Minister. ***** was concerned about the well-being of the Prime Minister and went to ensure that he was safe. ***** assisted two other Members of Parliament in putting chairs in front of the doors to ensure that everyone was secured. Several minutes later, he allowed several RCMP officers into the room to remove the Prime Minister. ***** stayed in the caucus room until the building was made safe.

***** was posted *****, *****. ***** was standing ***** by his post when he heard, simultaneously, a shot being fired and a radio broadcast reporting that shots had been fired. ***** saw a male, wearing a coat, run up the front entrance stairs carrying a rifle. ***** was unarmed, so he ran along the short hallway and into the caucus room of the NDP and locked the doors. ***** then crouched down and pressed on the doors to prevent anyone from entering. ***** looked through the space between the two doors and saw the gunman, carrying a rifle, walking northbound towards the library. As the gunman disappeared from his view, he recognized the voice of ***** yelling to the man to put down his gun. After hearing these commands, ***** heard numerous shots being fired. He believed that the gunman fired at least four shots while in the Hall of Honour. ***** left the caucus room to see if the shooting was over. He found that it was and returned to the NDP caucus room and told everyone that they would be safe.

***** was standing near his assigned post *****. ***** heard a radio transmission reporting a shot had been fired at the main entrance to Centre Block. Within seconds of the radio broadcast, he heard what appeared to him to be the sound of a very loud shotgun blast inside the building. He immediately ran to his assigned door and locked it. To assist with the security of members of the government and the Prime Minister, whom he knew were in the room, he moved one of the large coat racks in front of the door. ***** was unarmed so he hid in an alcove so he could use the element of surprise if the gunman came to his location. He then noticed a man, carrying a gun, walk briskly northbound along the Hall of Honour. The gunman walked closer to the east side of the Hall. ***** assigned partner that day was ***** and ***** watched as ***** drew his gun and fired several shots at the gunman. ***** then saw ***** leave that post and move towards the gunman. Moments later, ***** came out from behind the cover of a cement pillar and moved to the intersection of the Hall of Honour and the north corridor to check on the well-being of his partner. ***** overheard ***** yell the commands, "Drop your weapon!" to the gunman, who was hiding near the Library of Parliament. Shortly after hearing these directions to the gunman, ***** heard one more shot from the gunman and then a volley of shots. Shortly thereafter, ***** heard a radio transmission indicating that the gunman was down and in custody.

***** was at his post *****. Shortly after he watched the Prime Minister enter the caucus room, he heard one really loud shot followed by several other shots. He noticed a distinct difference in the sounds of the two sets of shots. ***** and when he neared the Hall of Honour, he saw what he believed was the barrel of a gun. As he was not armed, he turned and ran towards the stairs to go to the first floor to get a firearm. After retrieving a weapon and on his way back to the Hall of Honour, ***** saw the gunman on the floor with several House of Commons Security Services and RCMP members around him.

***** was working on the Prime Minister's security detail and was posted *****. At approximately 9:55 a.m., he heard someone yell that there were shots fired. ***** drew his weapon and went to the first floor for approximately one minute and then returned to his post. Upon returning, he saw the RCMP officers approaching the Library of Parliament.

***** was standing *****. ***** heard what he believed was a shotgun being fired and then heard several rounds of 9 millimetre gunshots. ***** moved slowly south in the Hall of Honour and when he saw the gunman, he ran westward in the northwest corridor. Because he was unarmed, ***** took cover behind a wooden coat rack until the shooting ceased. ***** then left his cover and moved to the location of the injured gunman. He administered first aid to him before noticing he was also armed with a knife.

***** had escorted the Prime Minister into the Conservative caucus room and then met with some fellow security officers, including *****, who was *****. ***** heard a very loud gunshot sound coming from the entrance to Centre Block. He immediately drew his firearm and retreated behind a wall for cover. As ***** looked in the direction of the noise, he saw a man, carrying a rifle, running up the stairs to the rotunda. The man was wearing a jacket and had a white scarf covering a portion of his face. ***** watched as ***** dropped to one knee, drew his firearm, and fired several shots at the man with the gun. ***** watched as the man ran in ***** direction and then fired another shot. When the gunman reached ***** position, he still had the rifle in his hands and was running towards the Library of Parliament. When no other members of the public or media were in his line of fire, ***** emptied his gun, firing fifteen rounds at the male as he continued to run towards the library. ***** reloaded his firearm and, at this point, the gunman was near the north corridor. ***** made his way down the Hall of Honour by using the stone pillars as cover. When he reached the north corridor, he could see the gunman in an alcove near the east side of the entrance to the Library of Parliament. ***** yelled demands to the gunman, saying, "Drop the gun! Drop it! Drop it!" ***** noticed a sudden movement by the gunman, so he fired two more rounds at him. After this exchange, it was obvious that the man was in some sort of distress. ***** saw *****, *****, come out of his office carrying his firearm. He yelled instructions to *****, telling him the location of the gunman and to be careful as he was very close. ***** kept cover as he watched ***** walk along the east wall of the Hall of Honour towards the location of the gunman. When ***** neared the Library, ***** yelled at him to tell him that he was right beside the gunman. ***** watched as ***** fell to the floor and shot upwards at the gunman as he stood behind a cement portion of the wall. ***** ran up to the doors of the Library of Parliament and saw that a member of the RCMP was also firing his weapon at the gunman. ***** heard an RCMP officer give the command to stop firing and muzzle down. He also saw a member of the RCMP move the rifle away from the gunman and saw that he was also carrying a large knife. ***** then ***** and checked on the safety of the Prime Minister and then removed the Prime Minister from the building.

House of Commons Security Services ***** when he heard a loud noise that he believed was one of the Centre Block employees dropping a table. He then heard another noise that was clearly discernible to him to be a gunshot. ***** put his vest on and then followed the armed *****. He walked along the hallway to the intersection with the Hall of Honour. At this point he saw ***** pointing towards the Library of Parliament. When he saw ***** start walking towards the gunman, he ran back into the office to try locating another firearm. ***** did not locate another weapon and when he re-entered the north corridor he saw a team of RCMP officers approaching the Library of Parliament. When the shooting had stopped, ***** took over as the Incident Commander and called for an ambulance to be dispatched and ordered that the front doors be locked and secured.

*****, *****. At approximately 9:50 a.m., ***** was standing in his office with three of his staff when he heard the sounds of at least a dozen gunshots coming from somewhere within the Centre Block. ***** retrieved his firearm, a Smith & Wesson, 9 millimetre, and fully loaded it with fifteen rounds. As he left his office he could hear several people screaming in the Hall of Honour. As ***** walked along the corridor and approached the Hall of Honour, he looked to his left and could see several of his staff with their firearms drawn. They were yelling at him to be careful as he was very close to the gunman who was hiding in the alcove just before the Library of Parliament. ***** then walked north in the Hall of Honour with his back towards the east wall. He proceeded along the hallway until he came to the opposite side of the alcove where the gunman was hiding. ***** was standing in a position where his team of security officers could see him. He took a quick look towards the Library of Parliament and around the alcove and could see the barrel of what he believed was a double-barreled shotgun. He could also hear the gunman taking deep, laboured and heavy breaths. After waiting a few moments, he leaped to his left in a westerly direction and faced the gunman. As ***** fell to the floor, he shot repeatedly upwards at the gunman, striking him several times. The gunman immediately collapsed and fell to his knees. ***** quickly rolled into a sitting position approximately one metre from the gunman. ***** continued to fire his service pistol until he emptied his magazine. At this time, ***** believed that two other members of the House of Commons Security Services team were present and firing at the gunman until he was prone on the ground. As ***** stood up, several members of his team, along with several members of the RCMP, were present. ***** heard an RCMP officer say, "Stop firing." ***** then returned to his office to check on his staff.

RCMP Officers Involvement

RCMP ***** was driving his police cruiser on Metcalfe Street when he heard a radio transmission that there was a man with a gun at Centre Block. ***** activated his emergency equipment and rushed to Top Drive. He parked in front of Centre Block, exited his vehicle, and ran up to the other officers who were gathering there.

RCMP ***** was at the Vehicle Screening Facility when he overheard a radio call from *****. He heard ***** yelling, "There's a man with a gun! There's a man with a gun!" ***** yelled to his fellow officers ordering, "Let's go everyone!" ***** drove his vehicle, with ***** as a passenger, to the front of Centre Block and parked behind ***** cruiser. Both ***** and ***** exited the vehicle and met with other officers who were forming at the front entrance to Centre Block.

RCMP ***** was on patrol on Bank Street when he heard on the radio ***** yell, "There is a man with a gun!" ***** drove through the Vehicle Screening Facility and parked at the intersection of West Drive and Lower Drive. He exited his vehicle, loaded his MP5, a 9 millimetre sub-machine gun, and ran to the front of Centre Block. ***** could immediately smell gun powder. He stayed in the rotunda and did not go to the north end of the Hall of Honour.

RCMP ***** was at the Vehicle Screening Facility when he heard an officer announce over the radio that there was a man with a gun. He left his post and drove along Lower Drive and parked in front of the Centennial Flame. ***** ran northbound on the sidewalk and as he approached Centre Block, he loaded his MP5 weapon. When he came to the Peace Tower, he noticed one of the House of Commons Security Services guards standing alone. ***** saw that the guard had saliva coming from his mouth and that he had blood on his shoe. The guard told him he had been shot and ***** provided first aid and called for an ambulance. He then ran into Centre Block, but by then, the incident was over and the gunman was handcuffed.

RCMP ***** was in her police vehicle at the entrance to Parliament Hill on Lower Drive. ***** heard ***** announce over the radio, "There's a man with gun! There's a man with a gun!" ***** requested over the radio that the bollards be raised at her position and then she proceeded to Centre Block. When she arrived, she parked beside a black Chrysler 300 that was located to the west of the Peace Tower. ***** ran to the front entrance of Centre Block and met ***** who was with the other officers.

RCMP ***** was near the Supreme Court of Canada when he heard a radio dispatch of a shooter who was on Parliament Hill. He drove his fully-marked cruiser through the Vehicle Screening Facility and proceeded to Centre Block. ***** exited his vehicle and ran to the front entrance and formed up with the other RCMP officers.

RCMP ***** was parked in his cruiser on Lower Drive when he heard a female officer yell over the radio that there was a man with a gun at Centre Block. He left his location and sped to Centre Block. He parked his vehicle and ran to the front steps where the other RCMP officers were located.

RCMP ***** was at the Vehicle Screening Facility when he heard a female officer yelling over the radio that there was a man armed with a gun at Centre Block. ***** ran to his marked cruiser and while waiting for the gate to open, ***** jumped into the passenger side of the vehicle. ***** rushed to Top Drive and parked his vehicle in front of Centre Block. They both exited the cruiser and ran to the other RCMP officers who were gathering.

RCMP ***** was posted at the Vehicle Screening Facility when she overheard a female officer announce on the radio, "There's a man! He's got a gun!" ***** immediately got into a cruiser with ***** and rushed to Centre Block. When she exited the cruiser, she drew her gun and ran to the front entrance with the other officers.

RCMP ***** was posted at the Vehicle Screening Facility completing his duties as an explosives detection officer. ***** overheard ***** yell over the radio that there was a man with a gun at Centre Block. ***** got into a marked cruiser with ***** and started to drive towards the Peace Tower. As they drove along Lower Drive and past West Block, ***** could see a person running very fast southbound from the main steps to the Centennial Flame. Suddenly the man dropped face first to the sidewalk as if he had been shot. The two officers continued towards the location of the gunman and turned northbound on East Drive. ***** saw several Ministers' vehicles parked along the sidewalk and a woman lying on the ground near one of these vehicles holding her chest as if she had been shot. ***** continued past the parked cars and drove to Centre Block, parking on the east side of the main entrance to the Peace Tower. ***** exited his vehicle before it had come to a stop and ran to the front door of Centre Block where he met ***** told his fellow officer that they had to go into the building.

RCMP ***** had been assigned a static post on Lower Drive in front of the Centennial Flame. While sitting in his cruiser, he heard ***** broadcast that there was a man with a gun shooting people. ***** left his post, rushed to Centre Block and ran into the front entrance with other officers who were there.

RCMP ***** believed there was a sufficient number of officers present to safely enter the building and ordered them to go forward. Once they were inside the front entrance, ***** heard several gunshots. ***** then ordered the command, "Go. Go. IARD." ***** started to walk up the east side of the steps and into the rotunda, staying on the east side of the Hall of Honour.

The RCMP, along with most other Police Services, use a similar response to react to an active shooter. "IARD" (Incident Active Response Deployment), is the swift and immediate deployment of law enforcement resources to ongoing, life threatening situations where delayed deployment could otherwise result in the deaths of or grievous bodily harm to innocent persons. This tactic involves officers in formations of three to five moving efficiently and safely towards the threat to neutralize it.

*****, *****, ***** walked up the steps to the rotunda. Once they reached the top, the officers took cover and then formed up in an IARD formation. ***** was positioned in the centre between ***** on his left and ***** on his right. ***** was positioned as the rear guard. The IARD team started to move slowly northward through the rotunda into the Hall of Honour.

***** immediately smelled gunpowder and knew that shots had been fired. He saw members of the House of Commons Security Services signaling at him and pointing towards the far end of the Hall of Honour near the Library of Parliament. As the IARD team moved forward they all had their firearms drawn. While advancing, ***** saw movement by the Library doors but could not see what caused it. Almost immediately, he heard a very loud gunshot. Both ***** and ***** believed that it was not a 9 millimetre shot because of how it echoed loudly in the hallway. ***** quickly moved to his right to obtain cover and the rest of the IARD team moved forward. At this point, ***** was on the left of the IARD team and ***** went to the right side with *****. Immediately after the sound of this shot, the IARD team members heard multiple shots from a handgun.

As ***** entered Centre Block, he could immediately detect a strong fresh smell of smoke and gunpowder. When ***** arrived at the top of the stairs at the rotunda, he saw that there were three other officers, *****, *****, *****, standing beside him. ***** yelled the command IARD positions and ***** went to his left, ***** went to his right and ***** covered his rear post. This formation moved forward towards the Library of Parliament and when they were halfway down the Hall of Honour, they heard a gunshot. The RCMP team continued to move forward and as they neared the north corridor, they noticed ***** taking cover against a wall. ***** asked ***** where the gunman was and as he finished his question, the gunman came out from behind an alcove and fired a shot towards the RCMP officers. ***** could feel the percussion of the gun shot as he moved forward and then saw the barrel of the gunman's rifle. ***** immediately moved to his left so he could get a better angle to shoot back. He then saw ***** jump out from behind his cover and fall to the floor while he was shooting at the suspect. ***** could see the gunman standing behind the alcove and, at this point, was about four metres from him. ***** started walking directly towards the gunman while firing his weapon at him. He stated that as he got to within feet of the gunman, the latter started to fall to the floor. ***** continued to fire his weapon and strongly believes that all his fifteen shots hit the gunman. The one round that ***** can physically remember is the shot going into the gunman's head. ***** heard ***** command to stop shooting and his direction to handcuff the gunman. ***** believed from his RCMP and Canadian Military explosives training that this gunman might be wearing a suicide vest. ***** checked the gunman's hands and wrists to see if there were any switches to detonate a bomb. While checking the gunman's hands, ***** saw a large knife tied to his arm with a piece of rope. When he had the cover of his fellow officers, he holstered his weapon and cut the knife free from the gunman's arm. ***** rolled the gunman over while ***** handcuffed him.

As the RCMP IARD team reached the area near the Library of Parliament door, ***** saw a white-haired man and ***** shooting at the suspect. ***** saw the gunman fall to the floor as officers were discharging their weapons at him. ***** heard ***** yell commands to stop shooting and saw him put his hand in the air to signal to everyone to cease fire. When ***** looked closely at the body of the gunman, he saw that he had a rifle and also a knife tied to his arm with a rope. ***** was told to take identification photographs of the gunman. He assigned ***** to remove the white scarf and hold the man's head up while he took photographs. ***** did not fire his weapon during this incident.

RCMP ***** proceeded to the area at the Library doors and heard multiple shots coming from his left side***** did not see who was firing the shots but noticed a person in black clothing squatting in the middle of the hallway. He also noticed another person lying on the floor near the door to the Library of Parliament. When ***** reached the shooting scene, he kept his firearm pointed at the suspect. ***** approached the shooter and removed the rifle from his hands. He then handcuffed the suspect and checked his neck for a pulse and did not find one. ***** saw the gunman was dressed in black pants, black socks, a pink shirt with blue squares and a hooded dark coat. He also noticed a large knife was tied to his wrist with a piece of rope. ***** watched as ***** cut the rope to remove it from the body. ***** then removed the white scarf from the deceased shooter so an officer could take a photograph for identification purposes. ***** did not fire his weapon during this incident.

At 9:55:45 a.m., *****, who was on the east side of the shooting scene yelled, "Stop shooting! Stop shooting! Enough!" He raised his hand to ensure all officers stopped shooting. ***** saw everyone cease firing and saw the gunman lying on his side facing north in the corridor beside the Library of Parliament. ***** assigned ***** to check the gunman's pulse and to handcuff him. ***** announced over the radio that the gunman was down and to send an ambulance to the scene. ***** asked all officers at the location if they had been shooting and was told that ***** and *****, *****, had fired their handguns.

Non-IARD RCMP Officers

RCMP officers ***** followed by *****, *****, ***** and ***** started to walk up the steps to the rotunda. Once in the rotunda, they walked along the west wall and followed behind the officers in the IARD formation towards the Library of Parliament.

***** was tapped on the shoulder and knew this meant move forward. As he walked forward, he saw several House of Commons Security Services officers yelling at ***** who was at the right side at the end of the Hall of Honour. ***** could not see the gunman except for a part of his leg and back. ***** saw ***** in a crouched position and shooting at the gunman. He saw the gunman fall to the floor. *****did not fire his weapon during this incident.

***** heard ***** order officers to form into an IARD position. As ***** moved forward towards the Library of Parliament, he heard a very loud shot and then multiple gunshots that sounded to him to be from a 9 millimetre handgun. He saw the gunman fall to the floor and as he neared the gunman he asked ***** ***** if he was okay. ***** nodded and walked towards his office. ***** checked the gunman for a "suicide belt" and when he did not find one, he removed the suspect's shoes. ***** searched the gunman and located a wallet and passport in the name of Michael ZEHAF-BIBEAU. These items were turned over to the Ottawa Police Service. ***** did not fire his weapon during this incident.

***** followed other RCMP officers northward along the east side of the Hall of Honour. ***** had her gun drawn and while moving forward heard multiple gunshots coming from the north end near the Library of Parliament. She also heard someone yell, "He's down!" ***** did not have a clear view of the gunman until after the shooting. ***** did not fire her weapon during this incident.

***** entered via the main entrance to Centre Block and heard a loud shot when he got to the rotunda. He started moving along the west wall of the Hall of Honour and could see a team of RCMP officers moving down the centre of the hall. As he moved forward, he could hear a large number of gunshots. ***** observed the gunman fall from behind a pillar near the Library doors and this male was wearing dark clothing and a white scarf. When ***** reached the location of the deceased gunman, he observed the gun and the knife the man had been carrying. ***** did not fire his weapon during this incident.

***** moved forward down the west side of the Hall of Honour. She heard two loud shots that she believed were not from a 9 millimetre handgun. Immediately thereafter, ***** heard a succession of shots she knew were from a 9 millimetre handgun. ***** learned that the gunman was down and then she saw ***** examining his leg. ***** recalled that she had not examined the shooter's vehicle so she returned to the car to check for bombs. She found the automobile to be clear of any weapons or other explosive devices. ***** then assisted *****, who had been shot, to a waiting ambulance. ***** did not fire her weapon during this incident.

RCMP officer *****, followed by officers ***** and *****, started to walk up the steps and arrived at the rotunda at 9:54:21 a.m. They moved along the east wall and followed behind the officers in the IARD formation towards the Library of Parliament.

***** entered the Centre Block and while at the bottom of the stairs heard several shots fired. He saw other officers making their way down the Hall of Honour and he followed them along the east side of the Hall. As he neared the Library of Parliament, ***** could see ***** firing his 9 millimetre handgun at the suspect. ***** did not see the gunman until after the shooting. *****did not fire his weapon during this incident.

***** approached the top of the stairs and saw *****. He told her that the gunman was down the hall. ***** noticed everyone scattering in the rotunda, so she started moving towards the Library of Parliament along the east wall. ***** heard several gunshots being fired and kept moving along the wall, keeping cover as she went. ***** was then notified that the gunman was down. ***** did not fire her weapon during this incident.

***** entered Centre Block and was told by ***** that they had to move forward as there was an active shooter. ***** started to move down the east side of the Hall of Honour. He saw a group of his fellow RCMP officers moving quickly down the centre of the hall in the direction of the Library. ***** heard several shots but could not see who was firing. He then heard someone say, "He is down" and saw an RCMP officer raise his arm. ***** did not fire his weapon during this incident.

***** was assigned to work at the Vehicle Screening Facility when he heard a radio call reporting a man with a gun. ***** left his post, retrieved his MP5, a 9 millimetre sub-machine gun, and went to the Centre Block. As he arrived at the Peace Tower, he saw two House of Commons Security Services officers there, one of whom had been shot in the leg. ***** entered the Centre Block and proceeded to the Library of Parliament where he witnessed ***** handcuffing the gunman. ***** did not fire his weapon during this incident.

***** was on his scheduled lunch break when he overheard ***** report that there was a man with a gun. ***** drove his cruiser to Parliament Hill and then proceeded to Centre Block. He entered the building with his MP5 sub-machine gun and could smell gun smoke. He was immediately told that the gunman was down. ***** did not fire his weapon during this incident.

House of Commons Personnel

***** is a tour guide at the Parliament Buildings and had taken a group of approximately fifteen tourists into the Library of Parliament. ***** was standing facing the library doors while he was speaking to the guests. ***** noticed through the glass doors a silhouette of a person holding a long rifle. ***** had started to move the tourists to the side when he heard multiple gun shots. As he was moving out of the way he could hear a couple of bullets hit the main desk in the library. ***** moved everyone out of the library and, as he was doing this, heard a succession of rapid gunfire.

***** is a research Librarian for the Library of Parliament at Centre Block. ***** noticed a tour group inside the library while she was working on a reference request. She heard a loud bang and thought it was someone dropping a piece of equipment. ***** then heard yelling and then a repetitive sound that she believed was gunshots. She noticed that the tourists and the guide were frightened and they all left the library by the back exits.

The Postmortem Examination

ZEHAF-BIBEAU was pronounced dead at 11:30 p.m., on October 22, 2014, by Coroner, Doctor *****. The body was transported to the Ottawa Civic Hospital for postmortem examination. The crime scene in Centre Block was processed by members of the RCMP Forensic Science Identification Services. The evidence was subsequently turned over to the OPP Forensic Identification Services for submission to the Centre of Forensic Sciences in Toronto, Ontario.

Toxicology Examination

Blood and urine samples were collected from ZEHAF-BIBEAU during the post mortem examination. Both these substances were sent to the Centre of Forensic Sciences, 25 Morton Shulman Avenue, Toronto, to be examined for the presence or absence of drugs and alcohol.

Blood sample testing indicated that the presence of drugs or alcohol was not detected.

Testing of ZEHAF-BIBEAU'S urine detected the presence of minute traces of ethanol. The toxicology report stated that the ethanol detected in the urine may have arisen from putrefaction as signs of this process were evident in the urine. Doctor ***** reported that these traces of ethanol could be attributed to prior consumption of alcohol and the natural elimination by the body.

Firearms Examination

Conclusion

The independent investigation conducted by the Ontario Provincial Police has concluded, based on the totality of the evidence, that there are no reasonable and probable grounds to believe that any involved RCMP officer or House of Commons Security Services personnel committed a criminal offence in connection with the shooting death of thirty-two year old Michael ZEHAF-BIBEAU on October 22, 2014.

The OPP assigned a Detective Inspector as a Major Case Manager, a Staff Sergeant, three Detective Constables and two forensic identification investigators to examine the circumstances of this incident. As part of the investigation, fourteen RCMP officers, nineteen House of Commons Security Services officers, nine media personnel and seven civilians were interviewed. In addition, evidence was gathered from a forensic scene examination, the forensic autopsy results and ballistics analysis of several spent cartridges and fired bullets.

Based on the totality of the evidence uncovered during the independent investigation, the OPP has concluded the following events occurred on Wednesday, October 22, 2014:

• On October 22, 2014, at approximately 9:50 a.m., Michael ZEHAF-BIBEAU fired three bullets into the back of Corporal Nathan CIRILLO, an unarmed member of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada, while he was posted at the National War Memorial resulting in his death.

• ZEHAF-BIBEAU then ran through the grounds of Parliament Hill to a vehicle parked in front of East Block. He commandeered this vehicle and threatened to kill the occupant of this vehicle if he did not immediately exit his car. ZEHAF-BIBEAU then drove this stolen car to the east side of the Peace Tower. He left the vehicle parked and ran into Centre Block through the front doors with a large knife tied to his arm and carrying a loaded Winchester .30-30 rifle.

• Once inside, ZEHAF-BIBEAU was confronted by *****, a uniform House of Commons Security Services officer. During a brief struggle, he fired a round that penetrated the leg of *****. He then pointed his rifle directly at the chest of *****, the second officer who was on guard at the front door.

• ZEHAF-BIBEAU did not discharge his firearm at *****, but lowered his rifle, and ran up the stairs to the rotunda where he exchanged gunfire with three officers from the House of Commons Security Services.

• ZEHAF-BIBEAU turned as he was leaving the rotunda and shot directly at *****, nearly striking him.

• He then ran north along the Hall of Honour while being repeatedly ordered by officers to drop his gun. While proceeding along the hallway, he passed one room that contained the Prime Minister of Canada, his caucus, and another room that held the Leader of the Official Opposition and his caucus.

• ZEHAF-BIBEAU ignored the commands by officers to drop his gun and continued until he neared the Library of Parliament doors where he attempted to conceal himself behind a cement pillar. While advancing along the Hall of Honour, RCMP *****, who had no idea where ZEHAF-BIBEAU was hiding, heard a member of the Security Services yell, "He's got a shotgun!" ***** stated that he believed at this point that if he was confined in a small area with a shooter who had a shotgun, he himself was going to die.

• As the team of four RCMP officers, led by *****, approached the Library of Parliament, they saw ***** in front of the pillar near the doors of the library. As the officers neared ***** location, ZEHAF-BIBEAU emerged from behind the pillar and fired a round directly at the four RCMP officers.

• As ***** walked forward, he felt the percussion and the shock wave of the bullet going past him. At this point, ***** and ***** had a justifiable need for self-preservation and the preservation and the safety of other persons in Centre Block from death or grievous bodily harm. ZEHAF-BIBEAU presented a serious and imminent threat to the lives of all persons inside Centre Block.

• ***** and ***** fired their weapons and neutralized the threat.

The independent investigation conducted by the Ontario Provincial Police has concluded, based on the totality of the evidence, that the involved officers were justified in discharging their firearms, resulting in the death of Michael ZEHAF-BIBEAU, pursuant to sections 25, 27, 34 and 37, of the Criminal Code. ZEHAF-BIBEAU had shot an officer inside the Centre Block and had fired another round at a House of Commons Security Services officer before taking refuge behind a pillar. ZEHAF-BIBEAU sprang from his hiding spot near the Library of Parliament and fired a .30-30 rifle at the four RCMP officers. At this point, RCMP ***** and ***** had every reason to believe on reasonable grounds that their lives and the lives of those around them were in danger. The officers therefore, were justified to resort to lethal force to preserve themselves and those around them.

The OPP has identified that in regards to the number of shots fired by officers, fifty-six in total, there are at least three important factors to bear in mind. Firstly, these gunshots were fired by six officers over seventy four metres through a rotunda and the Hall of Honour. Each of these six officers was reacting independently to his belief of the threat. Secondly, the officers saw ZEHAF-BIBEAU fire at least three rounds at officers while he was inside the Centre Block. It is reasonable to believe that these officers perceived a continuing threat up to the point where ZEHAF-BIBEAU was felled and the gunfire went silent. Thirdly, ZEHAF-BIBEAU was not incapacitated by the initial volley of gunfire by four officers. The gunfire only ceased after he was neutralized by being shot by two additional officers. The two officers believed they were under attack by ZEHAF-BIBEAU and were reasonably entitled to continue shooting until they had tangible evidence that he was no longer a threat.

The OPP determined that the six involved officers were legally justified in using lethal force against ZEHAF-BIBEAU, pursuant to sections 25(3)^{Footnote 1}, 27^{Footnote 2}, 34^{Footnote 3} and 37^{Footnote 4} of the Criminal Code. Section 25(3) of the Criminal Code authorizes the use of lethal force by police officers in the execution of their duties where such force is reasonably necessary to one's self-preservation or the protection of others from grievous bodily harm or death. Section 34 of the Criminal Code authorizes force used in self-defence or the defence of others where the force in question, including lethal force, is reasonably necessary in the circumstances. ZEHAF-BIBEAU shot one officer inside Centre Block and shot at two other officers and gave the officers every reason to believe that their lives or the lives of those around them were endangered. It is reasonable that they could not otherwise meet that danger than by using deadly force against ZEHAF-BIBEAU.

The officers ordered ZEHAF-BIBEAU to drop his weapon and desist from his course. The officers only resorted to potentially lethal force when they had reason to believe their lives and the lives of others in the vicinity were in imminent peril. In conclusion, the OPP has concluded that the six involved officers acted reasonably and that their conduct is entitled to the protection of section 34 of the Criminal Code. The force was justifiable and there are no reasonable and probable grounds for any Criminal Code charges in relation to the death of Michael ZEHAF-BIBEAU.

This concludes the investigative report of the independent investigation into the death of Michael ZEHAF-BIBEAU which occurred at Centre Block, Parliament Hill, Ottawa, Canada, on October 22, 2014.