Before gunshots rang out on Oct. 22 at the National War Memorial and inside of Parliament’s Centre Block, the Ottawa morning had been nothing out of the ordinary. Parliamentarians filed into their national caucus meetings. Residents walked and drove down the streets around Parliament Hill. The chaos that followed Michael Zehaf-Bibeau’s rampage touched everybody in the immediate neighbourhood. Bystanders witnessed and performed small acts of bravery, confronted an immediate police presence unlike any they’d ever seen, and stitched together whatever scattered thoughts consumed their minds.
Everybody on the scene had a story. We want to hear yours. Where were you when the crisis unfolded, what did you see, and what stands out from those harrowing moments? If you have a story to tell, fill out the form below.
Here’s some of what we’ve collected so far from parliamentarians, staffers and workers on the scene. Click on the dots for brief snippets of their experiences.
