10 years later, Ottawa remembers 2014 Parliament Hill shooting

Memorials and tributes are taking place across Ottawa on Tuesday to remember Cpl. Nathan Cirillo, an honour guard stationed at the National War Memorial, killed 10 years ago today.

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A private memorial service was held Tuesday morning at the National War Memorial and a ceremony attended by the public, military members and politicians was organized for 3 p.m. 

On Oct. 22, 2014, Michael Zehaf-Bibeau shot and killed Cirillo in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and injured several others before storming inside Parliament Hill's Centre Block and fired dozens of shots. Zehaf-Bibeau was eventually gunned down by Sergeant-at-Arms Kevin Vickers and six other RCMP officers.

The attack came only days after a man drove his car into two soldiers in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que., killing warrant officer Patrice Vincent.

The attack shut down Ottawa's downtown core for hours and received national and international attention.

Cirillo, a member of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, was 24 years old.

“Amazing person, loving, put his family and friends first. He was a leader,” said Cirillo’s cousin Ephraim Cirillo.

Ephraim Cirillo says they’re focused on his memory and his son, who is now 15-years-old.

 “Family surrounding him. Marcus has been absolutely amazing. He looks exactly like Nathan. It's like a spitting image. He's such a good young man, and you can see that he definitely will follow in his father's footsteps."

Wreathes laid in honour of Cpl. Nathan Cirillo on the 10th anniversary of the Parliament Hill shooting. (Joshua Marano/CTV News Ottawa)

On that tragic day, strangers, including Martin Magnan, rushed to try and save Cirillo.

"It was just a normal day for me, and I'm sure it was just a normal day for Nathan, and then the world changes in an instant," said Magnan who was going to meet a colleague that day.

"When the shooting started, my spine stood up and in my head was just 'go, go, go, listen, learn, react.' I'm not sure if that's from, most likely, from the military training or experience, but it was always to run towards gunfire to see what you can do, to react to a situation and see if you can help out."

Evan Solomon, the publisher of GZERO Media and a CTV contributor, was at the scene that day.

"Oct. 22 is a story of failures of security and acts of tremendous heroism," Solomon said, adding that even years later, "I literally walked by every day and every single day I thought about Nathan Cirillo and that moment and his heroism.” 

Members of Cirillo’s regiment attended a private service to honour him. 

"To recognize his service and his duty that he did to Canada," said Lt. Col. Sarbjit Juneja with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. "It's quite poignant to have two of our soldiers that stood here at that very moment in his very same footsteps."

Former Ottawa Police Chief Charles Bordeleau recalled that day and reflected on how the city has changed since.

"You saw the creation of the Parliamentary Protective Services. And at that time those security officers on the Hill were not armed," he said.

"But today, every PPS officer is armed. You have carbines being very present, bollards being installed, new assessment centers. So, things have dramatically changed." 

Politicians mark anniversary

Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe, who had just signed off from his daily radio show on Newstalk 580 CFRA on the day of the attacks, also looked back on that day.

"Like many Ottawa residents I’m thinking back to the events of October 22, 2014 that shocked our city. Let’s continue to honour the memory of Nathan Cirillo and be grateful for the heroes who rushed to his side and everyone who acted courageously to respond to the crisis," he said on X.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, an MP and Liberal Party leader at the time, wrote a statement marking the anniversary, saying our "hearts are with their families and friends who still grieve the loss of their loved one."

"Canadians saw terrifying pictures and videos of an attack on Parliament Hill. But there is one image from that day I remember clearly: people protecting one another as we took shelter wherever we were. I remember that, in the days that followed, political debate was subsumed by collegial support. And above all, we all remember the service and the sacrifice of those who stood guard, and those who rushed toward danger to save lives," he said.

"That is what we remember today, and what we must never forget."

Official Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre, who was a Conservative cabinet minister at the time, said, "both men were murdered for the uniform they wore and for standing guard for our nation."

"Today, as we did a decade ago, Canada mourns their loss, and we honour their memories and the sacrifice they paid defending our country." 

With files from CTV News Ottawa's Katie Griffin