The “threat to public safety has concluded” at Edmonton City Hall, police said Tuesday afternoon after shots were fired inside the building earlier in the day.
Chief Dale McFee said the Edmonton Police Service received a call about shots fired at city hall at 10:25 a.m. and officers arrived “within minutes” and arrested a man.
“There were no injuries or casualties,” he said.
“We believe this individual acted alone,” McFee said at a 4 p.m. news conference. The police chief stressed there is no indication the shooter had accomplices.
“There are no further concerns for public safety.”
McFee said the suspect came into city hall through the parkade and walked through city hall with a firearm, firing shots and shattering glass, mostly on the second floor.
It appears the suspect was shooting “randomly,” McFee said, not necessarily at people.
“This particular individual is what I would classify as heavily armed,” he said, adding the suspect had incendiary devices that police described as Molotov cocktails. There was some fire damage near an elevator in city hall, McFee said.
An unarmed commissionaire — or city security guard — initially detained the shooter, the police chief said.
“He went above and beyond his job … and for that, we’re grateful,” McFee said. “Any actions this individual took had a great impact on the outcome of this.”
Police officers arrived very quickly after that and checked city hall to make sure there were no other explosives or suspects.
Members of a Global News crew at city hall on Tuesday morning said they and others were put into a lockdown sometime around 10:30 a.m. after several loud bangs were heard. Police confirmed shortly after that they were investigating a “weapons complaint.”
“Police are doing a sweep of city hall,” a police spokesperson said earlier in the morning. “Roadways around city hall have been closed and citizens are asked to avoid the area.”
Emergency crews remained at the building at as of 2:30 p.m.
“The event at city hall is concluding and roadways are being reopened,” the EPS said at the time.
At the 4 p.m. news conference, McFee said: “The building has been rendered safe.”
In a statement late Tuesday afternoon, city manager Andre Corbould said city hall has safety protocols and procedures in place and because of those – and because of “diligent staff” and peace officers, police and firefighters – no one was physically hurt.
He said the city will support the police investigation and has offered support to any staff who need help processing the incident.
“We will reopen city hall and return to conducting government business as soon as it is safe to do so,” Corbould said. No date was provided.
A photo submitted to Global News by someone at city hall appeared to show a person being detained by another person but it was not immediately clear if this was the person police arrested.
The suspect appeared to be wearing what looked like a security jacket, a vest and a security shirt. McFee said it’s too early to say if he worked or ever worked in that role but that’s something investigators will look into.
They’re also trying to track where he obtained the gun.
“It was a gun that could fire multiple rounds quickly. I don’t know the classification yet,” McFee said.
While he couldn’t speculate on the amount of planning that might have gone into an incident like this, McFee said a suspect “that heavily armed means some thought went into it.”
The police chief also said it was too early to say if the suspect was known to police or had been to city hall before. McFee did not provide an age for the suspect.
A Global News reporter at city hall said she and other members of the media, along with the mayor, several city councillors, the city’s fire chief and city staff were in the building’s River Valley Room for an emergency management committee meeting when she heard a bang prior to the lockdown being ordered.
She said there was a pause and then she heard at least three more loud bangs. She said a security guard in the room with them went out to the foyer to look. The guard then came back to the room, said “there’s been a shooting,” and locked the door.
Everyone in the room stood up, the reporter said, and went to the side of the room. For several minutes, everyone in the room texted or called loved ones until someone told them they should go outside to the muster point.
The reporter said as everyone left the room, they saw police, including members of what appeared to be the tactical unit, enter city hall in a calm manner.
She said dozens of police officers were at city hall, as well as paramedics and firefighters.
Global News spoke with Coun. Tim Cartmell outside city hall where he was standing with his staff. He said they had been upstairs in their offices when they heard a loud bang and that they were then led downstairs and out the door by personnel at city hall.
Coun. Jo-Anne Wright was inside city hall at the emergency management meeting when she heard several bangs.
“I thought they were just setting up for an event outside. There was a pause and a couple more bangs. I kind of looked at staff and said: ‘Should we be worried?’ There was a couple more bangs followed by security shutting the doors and saying: ‘There’s a shooter.’”
The fire marshal locked the doors and had everybody move to the back of the room, Wright recalled. Then, after the fire alarm was pulled to evacuate the building, the fire marshal made sure the exit route was clear and escorted everyone outside.
“I don’t know what the reason was that this person felt the need to come in and make that display. I’m just glad nobody was hurt,” Wright said.
“The whole time I was so impressed by the professionalism and calmness of the staff. Making sure everybody was accounted for. A little bit shocking, took everybody aback, but it was all managed very well.”
The councillor said she anticipates safety and security will be reviewed in light of this incident but doesn’t want to see metal detectors at every entrance.
“I don’t think I’d like to see that. I want city hall to be a welcoming place for everyone.”
Mayor Amarjeet Sohi expressed gratitude for police, city hall security, peace officers and Edmonton Fire Rescue Services for their response to the active shooter and explosive device incident.
“I know many Edmontonians will be shocked by the news of this event. And I share those feelings. I’m proud that Edmonton City Hall has been an open and welcoming space for decades. And I’m confident that it will continue to be. My office has been working closely with the administration, and we will follow the advice of the security professionals as we determine the next steps,” the mayor said in a statement on social media.
“To the city staff impacted by this event and to their families, I share your trauma. Please know there are supports available for you through the Employee and Family Assistance Program.”
A Global News photographer who was let back inside the building to get their gear Tuesday afternoon saw what appeared to be three burnt spots on the main staircase inside city hall.
They also saw broken glass from a railing on the second floor of the building.
A Global News crew at the scene noticed at one point that a group of children was led out of city hall, accompanied by adults. They were brought to a city bus outside to keep them warm. The Global News crew said they did not appear to be in distress.
A spokesperson for Edmonton Public Schools confirmed on Tuesday afternoon that a Grade 1 class from one of its schools had been on a field trip at city hall when it was put into lockdown.
“Prior to the lockdown, the class had been split into two groups for separate activities,” the EPSB spokesperson said. “When the lockdown was called, one group of students was kept inside city hall chambers with a staff member, while the other group of students was kept inside the Stanley Milner Library with a staff member.”
She said students and staff returned to school safely “after police gave the all clear.”
“This incident may have caused distress for those on the field trip. The division’s critical incident support services team will be available to provide support in the coming days.”
In a message on social media, Premier Danielle Smith wrote: “I want to express my deepest gratitude for the swift work of the Edmonton Police Service in responding to today’s incident at the City of Edmonton. I’m so thankful that no one was physically injured today. My thoughts are with all city employees and their families at this time.”
A security expert said places like city hall present additional challenges.
“When you’re dealing with public buildings … there’s always opportunities for people to do what we saw,” said Neil LaMay, a senior consultant with Global Enterprise Security Risk Management Inc.
“Balancing security in that sort of environment is very tricky. You constantly have to be on your guard. You have to get it right every hour, every day, whereas somebody who comes in touting a gun or a knife or something — they only have to get it right once to do a lot of serious harm.”
There’s a balance between having government buildings be accessible but also safe, LaMay said.
“We don’t want our government buildings — at all three levels of government — to look like the Edmonton Max.
“It’s very important in the way we run our society that government be available to the people. That’s the greatest challenge… We can’t close and lock the doors.”
LaMay said this shooting could have turned into a nightmare.
“Anytime there’s bullets flying around in a public place, where there’s people all over the place, the danger is very, very high. We’re fortunate in this case nobody was seriously injured.”
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