Thursday October 23, 2014
By Graeme MacKay – Thursday October 23, 2014
Sergeant-at-Arms Kevin Vickers credited for protection of Parliament Hill
In the midst of the terrible tragedy and fear that overtook Parliament Hill in downtown Ottawa on Wednesday, there were moments of heroism and pride.
Commendations rolled in for the Ottawa police and their quick response to protect those in the downtown core, after one or more gunmen opened fire at the National War Memorial and prompted a full lockdown on Parliament Hill.
Respect and prayers were sent to the family of the yet-unnamed guard shot and killed at the beginning of Wednesday’s chaos, and all men and women who wear a military uniform across the country.
And there was also a flurry of commendation for the country’s Sergeant-At-Arms, 57-year-old Kevin Vickers, a veteran of the RCMP and the protector of the House of Commons.
According to several Members of Parliament and the Canadian Press, Vickers stepped into duty on Wednesday and shot a suspected gunman during the chaos on Parliament Hill.
“All the details are not in, but the sergeant-at-arms, a former Mountie, is the one that engaged the gunman, or one of them at least, and stopped this,” Conservative MP Julian Fantino told QMI Agency. “He did a great job and, from what I know, shot the gunman and he is now deceased.”
According to the Government of Canada, the Sergeant-at-Arms is a largely ceremonial position that, among other administrative duties, “is one of the officers who may administer the oath of allegiance to newly elected Members (of Parliament).” (Source: Yahoo News)