Armed man arrested at Rideau Hall was member of military
Posted July 2, 2020 2:22 pm.
Last Updated July 2, 2020 3:39 pm.
OTTAWA (NEWS 1130) — The armed suspect arrested Thursday at Rideau Hall was a member of the military, according to the Canadian Armed Forces and RCMP.
The Armed Forces did not confirm the identity of the suspect and are collaborating with the RCMP, which is leading the investigation.
“At 6:30 this morning, a lone male breached the main pedestrian entrance of 1 Sussex Drive [Thomas Gate] with his vehicle, which was disabled on impact,” says an RCMP release.
“The armed suspect then proceeded on foot on the grounds of Rideau Hall to the greenhouse, an onsite structure with limited public access, where he was rapidly contained by RCMP members who were on patrol in the area.”
The @CanadianForces confirms the suspect arrested arrested at Rideau Hall this morning was a member of the military. Does not confirm identity. #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/Sr9QouMqCd
— Cormac Mac Sweeney (@cmaconthehill) July 2, 2020
While an RCMP member began talking to the suspect, the National Division Emergency Response Team was dispatched and arrived just after 7 a.m.
The suspect was apprehended around 8:30 a.m.
“Through our members’ vigilance, quick action, and successful de-escalation techniques, this highly volatile incident was resolved swiftly and peacefully. I am very proud of all our people and our partners who moved fast and acted decisively to contain this threat,” RCMP Dep. Comm. Mike Duheme says.
According to reports, the suspect drove his truck from Manitoba to Rideau Hall and had a long gun and a note with him.
Earlier reports indicated someone rammed a truck through the gates and drove up the path toward the official residences that house Governor General Julie Payette and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau before being stopped by police.
RELATED: Armed man arrested after entering grounds of Rideau Hall
Neither Trudeau nor Payette was in residence at the time.
Officers still had the grounds to Rideau Hall cordoned off in the afternoon as the investigation continued.
The heavy wrought iron fencing of one of the visitor gates was bent inwards, while debris was strewn over a pathway behind it.
Further up the path, a dark pickup truck was the focus of investigators, initially.
Two robots were sent in to examine the truck, followed by a police dog and officers.
