HALIFAX – Halifax’s police chief said he was “shocked and horrified” as the shooting in Parliament Hill unfolded on Wednesday.
“This is something that, unfortunately, happens with a bit too much regularity,” said Chief Jean-Michel Blais, who used to live in Ottawa.
“We tend to see it in foreign capitals and foreign countries but very rarely do we expect it to happen in our own.”
Blais assured media that there is no threat that police are aware of in Halifax or the surrounding region.
WATCH: Parliament Hill shooting timeline
However, he has been having conversations with various organizations.
“We will continue to liaise with our policing partners, with the RCMP, with other police services in Nova Scotia as well as with the Canadian Security and Intelligence Service and the Canadian Armed Forces so as to be able to determine what threats are out there, if anything and to be able to deal with them appropriately,” he said.
Blais notes that police presence will be ramped up at military bases, the provincial legislature and city hall as a precaution.
“As we’ve seen in the last few days, today and earlier on this week, the threat seems to be directed towards individuals and not towards institutions. Hence, we will gear our protective approach to individuals and not towards buildings.”
Blais said no Halifax police officers will be sent to Ottawa for back-up, relief or support, but he would be open to the possibility.
“If we do receive a request, we will study that request very seriously,” he said.
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