A man in possession of a knife was arrested on Parliament Hill on Monday morning, officials have confirmed.
The incident occurred during the ceremonial changing of the guard, around 10:15 a.m. ET.
Department of National Defence spokesperson Daniel Le Bouthillier confirmed that “due to the quick reaction of our soldiers, RCMP and Parliamentary Protective Services, the potential threat was identified and neutralised.”
He added that “as the matter is currently under investigation by the Ottawa Police Service, any other comments at this point would be inappropriate.”
The RCMP have confirmed they are not involved in the investigation, and referred all questions to Ottawa Police.
WATCH: Security tight at Parliament Hill, 2 years after attack
Ottawa Police have charged 24-year-old Jesse Mooney, of Ottawa, with assault and breach of probation. Initial reports that the suspect had been armed with a knife were described by investigators as inaccurate. A pocket knife was found near the suspect when he was arrested, police later clarified.
The changing of the guard is a daily event in downtown Ottawa during the summer and involves dozens of soldiers. It begins at the same time every morning (10 a.m. ET).
Security on and around Parliament Hill has been increased significantly since a terror-linked shooting in October 2014 that resulted in the death of Cpl. Nathan Cirillo as he stood guard near the National War Memorial.