A Canadian soldier who was guarding the National War Memorial is dead, murdered by a gunman who then drove to the Canadian Parliament and fired several dozen shots inside the building.

Parliament Hill came under attack today after a man with a rifle shot and killed a soldier standing guard at the National War Memorial in downtown Ottawa, before seizing a car and driving to the doors of Parliament Hill's Centre Block nearby.

MPs and other witnesses reported 30 to 50 shots fired inside Parliament, and a gunman has been confirmed dead inside the building, shot by the House of Commons sergeant-at-arms, according to MPs' accounts.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper was on the Hill at the time of the shooting, but was safely taken away.Harper will make an address to the country later this evening.

[Ottawa shooting: Soldier dies of injuries, gunman also shot dead, by Dean Beeby, CBCNews, October 22, 2014]

Initial reports claim the man was dressed in an "Arabic scarf," though it's too early to say anything for certain.  However, this is only two days after another Canadian soldier was killed by a jihadist in Quebec.  [Canadian Parliament under lockdown after gunman kills soldier standing guard at the National War Memorial before opening fire in the Parliament halls, by Lydia Warren and James Nye, Daily Mail, October 22, 2014]

It's too early to jump to the conclusion that this is Islamic terrorism, though that's certainly a possibility.  But no matter what happens, we know what the headlines will be tomorrow — "Canadian Muslim Community Fears Blacklash."