Canadian soldier shot near parliament dies

A soldier shot by a gunman at a war memorial near Canada's parliament building has died, an official says.

Initial reports at the scene on Wednesday suggested that one attacker had been shot by police inside the building while up to two more gunmen were feared to be at large, as police sealed off the area.

Witnesses said they saw a man armed with a rifle running into parliament after the shooting at the memorial.

Passers-by told reporters that a bearded man had gunned down the soldier, hijacked a passing vehicle to take him the short distance to Parliament Hill, on a bluff over the Ottawa River.

The soldier appeared seriously wounded and emergency medics were seen pushing on his chest to revive him.