News Wrap: Canadian prime minister pledges stronger law enforcement after attacks

GWEN IFILL:

Canadian police announced today they have found no connection between two fatal attacks this week on soldiers. That word came as Parliament cheered the man who put an end to yesterday's shooting assault.

(APPLAUSE)

GWEN IFILL:

A hero's welcome awaited Sergeant at Arms Kevin Vickers at the opening of the day's session of Parliament. He was visibly emotional as lawmakers stood in thunderous applause.

(APPLAUSE)

GWEN IFILL:

It was Vickers, a former Royal Canadian Mounted Policeman, who shot and killed the gunman stalking the halls of Parliament yesterday. The incident touched off panic, as police rushed in and lawmakers and staffers scrambled to get out.

STEPHEN HARPER, Prime Minister, Canada (through interpreter):

The goal of these attacks was to instill fear and panic in our country, and to interrupt the business of government.

GWEN IFILL:

Today, just 24 hours after the chaos, Prime Minister Stephen Harper insisted Canada will not be intimidated.

STEPHEN HARPER:

We will be vigilant, but we will not run scared. We will be prudent, but we will not panic. And, as for the business of government, well, here we are in out seats, in our chamber in the very heart of our democracy and our work goes on.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

GWEN IFILL:

And in a chamber often divided by politics, unity was the message of the day.

JUSTIN TRUDEAU, Leader, Liberal Party of Canada: Yesterday's events were a shared national tragedy. It is fitting that we have come together in this place immediately to let the world know that Canada's values are strong, our institutions are resilient, and our people are united together.

(APPLAUSE)

THOMAS MULCAIR, Leader of the Opposition: It only strengthened our commitment to each other and to a peaceful world. Now, let us not become more suspicious of our neighbors. Let's not be driven by fear, because, in Canada, love always triumphs over hate.

GWEN IFILL:

Police now say the lone gunman, Michael Zehaf-Bibeau, was a recent convert to Islam with a long record of violent crimes.

They released security camera video today showing the gunman running into the Parliament building with a rifle. Minutes earlier, he's seen entering the National War Memorial grounds, where he shot and killed Corporal Nathan Cirillo, a member of the honor guard.

Back at the Parliament, lawmakers paused for a moment of silence in remembrance of Cirillo. Family members of the shooter condemned his actions.

In a statement, his mother, Susan Bibeau, said: "We wish to apologize for all the pain, fright and chaos he created. We have no explanation to offer. I don't understand and part of me wants to hate him at this time."

Police now say Zehaf-Bibeau had recently applied for a passport, apparently intending to go to Syria, but he wasn't under surveillance.

BOB PAULSON, Commissioner, Royal Canadian Mounted Police:

I can confirm that Zehaf-Bibeau wasn't one of the 90 high-risk travelers that the RCMP is currently investigating. According to some accounts, he was an individual who may have held extremist beliefs.

GWEN IFILL:

His attack came just days after another Canadian with Islamist militant ties rammed two soldiers with his car near Montreal, killing one, before being shot dead by police. Investigators said they have found no connection between the two incidents, but Prime Minister Harper pledged aggressive action.

STEPHEN HARPER:

In recent weeks, I have been saying that our laws and police powers need to be strengthened in the area of surveillance, detention, and arrest. They need to be much strengthened, and I assure you, Mr. Speaker, that work which is already under way will be expedited.

(APPLAUSE)

GWEN IFILL:

But the city of Ottawa stayed on edge. At one point today, as the prime minister and his wife laid flowers at the war memorial, police drew their guns and forced a man to the ground. He was later arrested for disturbing the crime scene.

JUDY WOODRUFF:

And in other news of this day, six West Africans who traveled to Connecticut are being quarantined for possible exposure to Ebola. Officials said today the family arrived on Saturday, planning to live in the U.S. They will be monitored for 21 days.

There was also word that a New York hospital is testing a man with Ebola-like symptoms who worked for Doctors Without Borders in West Africa. We will hear from the president's top science officer on stopping Ebola after the news summary.

GWEN IFILL:

In Nigeria, suspected Boko Haram militants kidnapped at least 25 girls in a remote northeastern town. It came amid ongoing talks aimed at freeing more than 200 other girls seized by the Islamist group in April. The abduction also raised further doubts about a cease-fire announcement last week.

JUDY WOODRUFF:

New questions surfaced today about the U.S. strategy to confront Islamic State forces. The Washington Post reported moderate Syrians will be trained to defend themselves, but not to try to retake territory. The report cited unnamed U.S. and allied officials. Islamic State militants already control large swathes of Syria and neighboring Iraq.

GWEN IFILL:

The Maryland man who allegedly jumped the White House fence last night was ordered held without bond today. Dominic Adesanya was quickly arrested by uniformed Secret Service agents and their dogs. He was unarmed, but he's charged with punching and kicking the dogs and making threats.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest said today the challenge is to balance security with public access.

JOSH EARNEST, White House Press Secretary:

I think the point is, it certainly would be possible to build a multistory bomb-proof wall around the 18-acre White House complex of the White House, but that, I don't think, would be striking the appropriate balance that I described earlier.

GWEN IFILL:

Last month, another fence jumper made it past five layers of security and into the White House.

JUDY WOODRUFF:

California's prison system will end its policy of locking down inmates based on race. Guards have frequently invoked the policy after racial violence among inmates, regardless of whether they're directly implicated. The settlement would end a longstanding civil rights lawsuit.

GWEN IFILL:

A batch of strong earnings reports sent Wall Street surging again today. The Dow Jones industrial average gained 216 points to close near 16,677; the Nasdaq rose almost 70 points to close at 4,452; and the S&P added 23 to finish at 1,950.