Soldier shot at Canadian War Memorial!

[theweave3162]

I was at my job in downtown Hamilton working a telemarketer. We call people all over Ontario. Shortly past about 10:30, I contact a person who tells me "I can't talk right now, our Parliament is being attacked." and he hung up the phone on me. At first I thought Wow what an excuse to get off the phone. I click over to a new webpage and bring up Google News and He wasn't joking!!!! So a telemarketing call was my first news of the day. Soon after that, all of our calls to Ottawa were blocked by our supervisor. Did not want people in lockdown answering their phone expecting a loved one on the line and it was us trying to sell something.

I was more shocked to learn that the soldier was a Hamilton native. I have been watching on the news the past few days and was moved to see the outpouring of emotion last night for his journey home along the Highway of Heroes.

He is now at rest in Hamilton. A public visitation will be on Monday from 9 am to 9 pm. Thousands are expected.

The funeral is on Tuesday at 12:00 noon. Thousands are expected to pack into First Ontario Centre (Copp's Coliseum) to watch the funeral on closed circuit tv. The church service is for invited guests only.

If you are in Hamilton, check the Spectator for road closures in the downtown area for Tuesday.

No matter where you are, on Tuesday please wear RED to honor him.

A gentle man, doing something he loved. Defending our peace and democracy. A man with a wife and young son, now leaves a widow and a child without a father.

Cut down in a senseless act that will forever be burned in our minds and hearts. Cpl Cirillo you are loved by every Canadian. You died while guarding the tomb of your fallen comrades, now you will join them in heaven forever.

May you rest in peace. Lest We Forget.

[macw1960]

Although this share is not about Cpl Cirillo it is related to those who serve their countries and was sent to me by my brother.







My lead flight attendant came to me and said, "We have an H.R. on this flight." (H.R. stands for human remains.)
"Are they military?" I asked.
'Yes', she said.
'Is there an escort?' I asked.
'Yes, I've already assigned him a seat'.
'Would you please tell him to come to the Flight Deck. You can board him early," I said...
A short while later a young army sergeant entered the flight deck. He was the image of the perfectly dressed soldier. He introduced himself and I asked him about his soldier.
The escorts of these fallen soldiers talk about them as if they are still alive and still with us. 'My soldier is on his way back to Virginia ,' he said. He proceeded to answer my questions, but offered no words.
I asked him if there was anything I could do for him and he said no. I told him that he had the toughest job in the military, and that I appreciated the work that he does for the families of our fallen soldiers. The first officer and I got up out of our seats to shake his hand. He left the Flight Deck to find his seat.
We completed our preflight checks, pushed back and performed an uneventful departure. About 30 minutes into our flight, I received a call from the lead flight attendant in the cabin.
'I just found out the family of the soldier we are carrying, is also on board', she said. She then proceeded to tell me that the father, mother, wife and 2-year old daughter were escorting their son, husband, and father home. The family was upset because they were unable to see the container that the soldier was in before we left.
We were on our way to a major hub at which the family was going to wait four hours for the connecting flight home to Virginia . The father of the soldier told the flight attendant that knowing his son was below him in the cargo compartment and being unable to see him was too much for him and the family to bear. He had asked the flight attendant if there was anything that could be done to allow them to see him upon our arrival. The family wanted to be outside by the cargo door to watch the soldier being taken off the airplane.
I could hear the desperation in the flight attendants voice when she asked me if there was anything I could do. 'I'm on it', I said. I told her that I would get back to her.
Airborne communication with my company normally occurs in the form of e-mail like messages. I decided to bypass this system and contact my flight dispatcher directly on a secondary radio. There is a radio operator in the operations control center who connects you to the telephone of the dispatcher. I was in direct contact with the dispatcher. I explained the situation I had on board with the family and what it was the family wanted. He said he understood and that he would get back to me.
Two hours went by and I had not heard from the dispatcher. We were going to get busy soon and I needed to know what to tell the family. I sent a text message asking for an update. I saved the return message from the dispatcher and the following is the text:
'Captain, sorry it has taken so long to get back to you. There is policy on this now, and I had to check on a few things. Upon your arrival a dedicated escort team will meet the aircraft. The team will escort the family to the ramp and plane side. A van will be used to load the remains with a secondary van for the family.
The family will be taken to their departure area and escorted into the terminal, where the remains can be seen on the ramp. It is a private area for the family only. When the connecting aircraft arrives, the family will be escorted onto the ramp and plane side to watch the remains being loaded for the final leg home.
Captain, most of us here in flight control are veterans. Please pass our condolences on to the family. Thanks.
I sent a message back, telling flight control thanks for a good job. I printed out the message and gave it to the lead flight attendant to pass on to the father. The lead flight attendant was very thankful and told me, 'You have no idea how much this will mean to them.'
Things started getting busy for the descent, approach and landing. After landing, we cleared the runway and taxied to the ramp area. The ramp is huge with 15 gates on either side of the alleyway. It is always a busy area with aircraft maneuvering every which way to enter and exit. When we entered the ramp and checked in with the ramp controller, we were told that all traffic was being held for us.
'There is a team in place to meet the aircraft', we were told. It looked like it was all coming together, then I realized that once we turned the seat belt sign off, everyone would stand up at once and delay the family from getting off the airplane. As we approached our gate, I asked the copilot to tell the ramp controller, we were going to stop short of the gate to make an announcement to the passengers. He did that and the ramp controller said, 'Take your time.'
I stopped the aircraft and set the parking brake. I pushed the public address button and said: 'Ladies and gentleman, this is your Captain speaking: I have stopped short of our gate to make a special announcement. We have a passenger on board who deserves our honor and respect. His Name is Private XXXXXX, a soldier who recently lost his life. Private XXXXXX is under your feet in the cargo hold. Escorting him today is Army Sergeant XXXXXXX. Also, on board are his father, mother, wife, and daughter. Your entire flight crew is asking for all passengers to remain in their seats to allow the family to exit the aircraft first. Thank you.'
We continued the turn to the gate, came to a stop and started our shutdown procedures. A couple of minutes later I opened the cockpit door. I found the two forward flight attendants crying, something you just do not see. I was told that after we came to a stop, every passenger on the aircraft stayed in their seats, waiting for the family to exit the aircraft.
When the family got up and gathered their things, a passenger slowly started to clap his hands. Moments later, more passengers joined in and soon the entire aircraft was clapping. Words of 'God Bless You', I'm sorry, thank you, be proud, and other kind words were uttered to the family as they made their way down the aisle and out of the airplane. They were escorted down to the ramp to finally be with their loved one.
Many of the passengers disembarking thanked me for the announcement I had made. They were just words, I told them, I could say them over and over again, but nothing I say will bring back that brave soldier.
I respectfully ask that all of you reflect on this event and the sacrifices that millions of our men and women have made to ensure our freedom and safety in these United States of AMERICA.
Foot note:
I know everyone who reads this will have tears in their eyes, including me. Prayer chain for our Military... PLEASE SHARE THIS! Please send this on after a short prayer for our service men and women.
They die for me and mine and you and yours and deserve our honor and respect.
Prayer Request:
When you receive this, please stop for a moment and say a prayer for our troops around the world... There is nothing attached. Just send this to people in your address book. Do not let it stop with you. Of all the gifts you could give a Marine, Soldier, Sailor, Airman, and others deployed in harm's way, prayer is the very best one.
GOD BLESS YOU!!!
Thank you all who have served, or are serving. We Will not forget!!!!

[Lynn49]

Yes, tears in my eyes, a prayer said. What a beautifully touching story, thank you.

[Lynn49]

I wish the networks would stop calling these attackers "Lone Wolf" attackers. That almost dignifies their actions, and elevates it to a macho level these idiots don't deserve.
Lone Rat attacks would be more realistic; no one will want to be called that.

[Patty Smyth]

MY dad told me he heard on one of the news channels that when the guy went through the front doors an RCMP officer grabbed the guys gun and started yelling "GUN GUN GUN". which gave everyone time to scatter and move into action. This officer was shot in the foot and could not pursue him. Did anyone else hear this story I can't find a link anywhere.

[Natalka]

I wish the networks would stop calling these attackers "Lone Wolf" attackers. That almost dignifies their actions, and elevates it to a macho level these idiots don't deserve.
Lone Rat attacks would be more realistic; no one will want to be called that.

Agreed; I prefer this - I heard Minister Jason Kenney in an interview with Roy Green on the radio this afternoon - he called them 'violent nutbars' - I sure liked that!

[Natalka]

MY dad told me he heard on one of the news channels that when the guy went through the front doors an RCMP officer grabbed the guys gun and started yelling "GUN GUN GUN". which gave everyone time to scatter and move into action. This officer was shot in the foot and could not pursue him. Did anyone else hear this story I can't find a link anywhere.

I found this -

Zehaf-Bibeau steamed in the front doors of Centre Block, where he was confronted by an unarmed House of Commons constable, Samearn Son, a 10-year veteran of the Parliamentary security team. Son grabbed Zehaf-Bibeau’s rifle, according to one witness, and was shot in the leg.

http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-...unmans-rampage

[abbasgirl]

I heard about the security guard grabbing the guy's gun and yelling as well. There's a photo on one of the Canadian sites (I can't remember which one) of a bullet hole in the floor in front of the door, where that shooting took place. It's unfortunate that the guard hasn't recieved more attention. What he did was heroic. It's amazing that he wasn't killed!

[abbasgirl]

CTV has more on the injured guard:

MPs have also credited Const. Samearn Son, a parliamentary security guard, with hampering Zehaf-Bibeau's ability to carry out his attack. Son grappled with Zehaf-Bibeau outside the Hall of Honour, trying to wrest away the gunman's long rifle. Officials say Son forced Zehaf-Bibeau to point the gun at the ground and it went off, striking Son in the leg.
Firearms experts say Zehaf-Bibeau's weapon, a .30-30 Winchester rifle, is a slow-loading model better suited to hunting than firing at police. Forcing him to fire the weapon meant he had to manually re-cock it before firing another shot.
MPs say that delay may have significantly slowed Zehaf-Bibeau's attack.
Son told CTV's Katie Simpson that he's recovering well from his leg injury. "I'm good, I'll make a full recovery," he said Saturday, while walking into his house with the support of crutches.

Read more: http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/gunman-...#ixzz3HP4aH1Cm

[Snow In Summer]

MY dad told me he heard on one of the news channels that when the guy went through the front doors an RCMP officer grabbed the guys gun and started yelling "GUN GUN GUN". which gave everyone time to scatter and move into action. This officer was shot in the foot and could not pursue him. Did anyone else hear this story I can't find a link anywhere.

I haven't heard that story yet here in Ottawa. I actually have 3 clients whom I've all spoken to (won't say their position, status or ranks here) who were there on the front lines from 10am to 2-3am the next day in the core. I'm not saying its not true, just that we haven't heard anything yet here to confirm that report. Most of them talk about how there were being distracted by calls during the day of a 2nd and 3rd shooter (which wasn't true) and then mostly distracted by calls of snipers on top of buildings surrounding Parliament, which ended up being construction workers onsite on rooftops.

However that being said they all conquered in telling me this one piece of information. Always remain on high alert. Always be aware of your surroundings and the people around you. This won't be the last time this happens again ...

[SharonMe]

Yes, I've heard about the security guard who fought with the gunman unarmed. He was incredibly brave too. Kevin Vickers also gave him mention. I also saw a news report with him walking on crutches and a reporter asking him how he was doing. He answered and the reporter didn't ask any other questions and gave him some privacy which I thought was very gracious. He is a bit of an unsung hero and he may well have given Kevin Vickers the time he needed.
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2...d_as_hero.html

[Natalka]

Tears already streaming down my face as I watch the slow procession to the church - just thinking so much of how young he was. (My son is 23 today, and I just cannot imagine parents losing a son - and in Nathan's case - a child losing his dad)

[Natalka]

Inside First Ontario Centre

[Natalka]

[Natalka]

As his cousin Jenny was speaking and giving some family stories about Nathan, it was nice to see his mom smiling... yet crying...