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The Canadian parliamentary official credited with fighting off a gun-wielding terrorist is set to be appointed the country’s new ambassador to Ireland.
Kevin Vickers, the Canadian House of Commons’s sergeant-at-arms, confronted gunman Michael Zehaf-Bibeau in a Parliament Hill hallway, shooting him with his job-issue handgun.
Canadian public broadcaster CBC reports that Mr Vickers will replace Loyola Hearn, who has held the role since January 2011.
The person holding the post of sergeant at arms in the Canadian House of Commons is responsible for a mixture of ceremonial and security duties.
During the incident at the Canadian Parliament last October, an attacker, who had already killed a Canadian soldier at the National War Memorial, exchanged fire with guards and ran down Canada’s Hall of Honour.
According to reports, Mr Vickers was in his office when he heard gunshots. He grabbed his automatic pistol and ran out into the passage, where his security team told him the gunman was hiding.
In pictures: Ottawa shootingShow all 43 1 /43In pictures: Ottawa shooting In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting Several police officers walk near downtown Ottawa
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting An Ottawa police officer runs with his weapon drawn outside Parliament Hill in Ottawa
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting A photograph of Corporal Cirillo just moments before the fatal shooting
Twitter/Kamakazi19982
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting Tourist Megan Underwood posed with Corporal Cirillo before the shooting
Megan Underwood, via Facebook
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting Flowers placed at the gate of the John Weir Foote V.C. Armouries in Hamilton, Ontario where it is believed the soldier who was killed in the attack was based
AFP
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting Police search cars and pedestrians as they leave the Alexandra Bridge near the Parliament Buildings in Ottawa
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In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting Armed police officers walk down Queen Street near Parliament Hill, close to the scene where the gunman was later shot and killed
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In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting Armed police teams enter Centre Block at Parliament Hill in Ottawa
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In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting A small plane equipped with surveillance equipment flies over the scene of multiple shootings in Ottawa
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In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting Head of RCMP Bob Paulson briefs Canadian prime Minister Stephen Harper on the shootings at Parliament Hill in Ottawa
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In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting An Ottawa police officer runs with his weapon drawn outside Parliament Hill in Ottawa
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In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting RCMP and Ottawa police cruisers on Wellington St. stand guard
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In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting Properties in central Ottawa were forced to shut
PA
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting An Ottawa police officer and service dog run up Metcalfe Street following shootings in downtown Ottawa
Reuters
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting The Conservative Party caucus room is shown shortly after shooting began on Parliament Hill, in Ottawa
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting Police teams enter Centre Block at Parliament Hill in Ottawa
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In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting Police attempt to secure a portion of downtown Ottawa near Parliament Hill
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In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting Armed RCMP officers approach Centre Block on Parliament Hilll
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In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting Armed RCMP officers guard access to Parliament Hilll following a shooting incident in Ottawa
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting Police officers take cover near Parliament Hilll following a shooting incident in Ottawa
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting RCMP intervention team members clear the area at the entrance of Parliament hill in Ottawa
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting Armed RCMP officers race across a street on Parliament Hilll following a shooting incident in Ottawa
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting A still image captured from video footage by the Globe and Mail newspaper shows police officers responding to shooting attacks inside the Centre Block of the Parliament buildings in Ottawa
Reuters
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting A police officer holds back the public from Canada's National War Memorial as CPR is performed on a shooting victim in Ottawa
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting Paramedics and police pull a victim away from the Canadian War Memorial in Ottawa
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting Emergency personnel tend to a soldier shot at the National Memorial near Parliament Hill in Ottawa. The soldier was standing guard when an unknown gunman shot him
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting Police and medical personnel moving a wounded person into an ambulance at the scene of a shooting at the National War Memorial in Ottawa
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting A police officer closes off the scene near the Canada War Memorial following a shooting incident in Ottawa
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting Armed RCMP officers guard the front of Langevin Block on Parliament Hilll following a shooting incident in Ottawa
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting A car thought to be the car of one of the suspects is pictured on Parliament Hilll following a shooting incident in Ottawa
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting Police officers guard Parliament Hilll following a shooting incident in Ottawa
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting A Royal Canadian Mounted Police intervention team walks past a gate on Parliament hill in Ottawa
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting A heavily armed Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer stands guard at 24 Sussex, the residence of Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper after a reported shooting at Parliament building in Ottawa
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting A police officer secures the scene of a shooting on Parliament Hill in Ottawa
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting A Royal Canadian Mounted Police intervention team responds to a reported shooting at Parliament building in Ottawa
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting Police at the scene of a shooting at the National War Memorial in Ottawa
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting A heavily armed RCMP officer enters 24 Sussex Dr., the official residence of the Prime Minister
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard makes a statement in regarding the shooting at the Parliament in Ottawa at the legislature in Quebec City. A soldier standing guard at the National War Memorial in Ottawa has been shot by an unknown gunman and there have been reports of gunfire inside the halls of Parliament
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting Police cordon off a street leading to Parliament Hill in Ottawa
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting Police vehicles block a road near Parliament in Ottawa
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting An ambulance arriving at the scene
Eric Twitty
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting Emergency vehicles at the National War Memorial following a shooting incident in Ottawa
Gerry Byrne
In pictures: Ottawa shooting Ottawa shooting Canadian police outside Parliament
Mike Kujawski
In a single motion the sergeant-at-arms dived to the floor and shot the gunman in mid-air as he fell to the ground. After the intruder was killed, Mr Vickers calmly rose to his feet and reloaded his gun.
He then entered the room where the country’s Prime Minister Stephen Harper had barricaded himself in with his a group of MPs.
“I engaged the suspect and the suspect is deceased,” Mr Vickers reportedly said, as the room erupted in cheers.
Mr Vickers has been sergeant at arms for eight years, and spent three decades in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
Upon his return to the House of Commons the day after the attack, the sergeant-at-arms received a lengthy standing ovation from MPs .
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