- .The Parliament's head of security, sergeant-at-arms Kevin Vickers, 58, took down Michael Zehaf-Bibeau in a dramatic hail of gunfire
- .Zehaf-Bibeau killed a soldier standing guard at Canada's war memorial Wednesday, then stormed the House of Commons in a terrorist attack
- .Vickers is a decorated 29-year veteran of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police who's headed House of Commons security since 2006
- .The shooting was his first exchange of gunfire with a suspect in his career
- .Police arrested a man who came too close to the Canadian Prime Minister and his wife on Thursday as they placed flowers at the scene
Just moments after he gunned down Canadian Parliament shooter Michael Zehaf-Bibeau, heroic sergeant-at-arms Kevin Vickers was seen calmly walking through the halls, gun in hand.
The 58-year-old RCMP veteran has been hailed a hero after putting a swift stop to the attacker's hail of gunfire after he shot dead a soldier and then stormed the building on Wednesday morning.
A CBC News still shows Vickers holding the gun and walking through the House of Commons' moments after taking down the assailant.
Vickers has been the House of Commons' head of security since 2005 and will now go down in history as one of its most memorable after he bravely pursued and took down Zehaf-Bibeau.
Job done: Kevin Vickers, Canada's House of Commons' sergeant-at-arms, looks around the hallways with a gun in his hand after shooting dead an attacker, Michael Zehaf-Bibeau, on Wednesday morning
In control: Vickers, who worked for the RCMP for 29 years before taking on the role, is being hailed a hero
Despite working for the RCMP for three decades, relatives said the incident was the first time in his career that Vickers had ever shot anyone.
Riveting video taken inside Ottawa's House of Commons makes startlingly real just how heart-thumpingly dangerous the situation was that Vickers heroically diffused.
A rush of armed police can be seen running toward an unseen suspect as the video from Globe and Mail opens.
At the head of the pack is a man moving swiftly with his gun in hand toward Zehaf-Bibeau, who had moments before murdered a reservist who stood guard at Canada's Tomb of the Unknown soldier.
The death of that man, a 24-year-old father of a young son, Nathan Cirillo, would soon be avenged as Vickers takes aim inside the cavernous parliamentary building and fires off multiple shots.
As those shots echo throughout the hall, the video goes wobbly as the men behind their leader Vickers move for cover.
Back to work: Heroic Kevin Vickers was pictured at work on Thursday just hours after he shot dead Zehaf-Bibeau and stopped the terrorist in his tracks
Canadian hero: Vickers, 58, is pictured in a file photo wearing his ceremonial garb and carrying a scepter. As sergeant-at-arms, it his job to uphold the security of the House of Commons
Riveting video: Vickers led the way as officials chased down terrorist Michael Zehaf-Bibeau on Wednesday after he murdered reservist Nathan Cirillo and entered the House of Commons building
Inches from disaster: The terrifying morning attack happened just outside the MPs' caucus rooms
And like that, it was over. Vickers had brought to a close the terrifying scene of senseless violence in mere moments of professional poise.
'MPs and Hill staff owe their safety, even lives, to Sergeant at Arms Kevin Vickers who shot attacker just outside the MPs' caucus rooms,' tweeted New Democrat MP Craig Scott.
He's a very intelligent and responsible person... but you don't want to mess with him
Kevin Vickers' cousin
Matt Miller, the Vancouver Observer's parliamentary bureau chief, concurred.
'Kevin is definitely a hero,' Miller told CNN.
Vickers has honed his peacekeeping skills over a prestigious 28-year career as a member Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
And peacekeeping is the word. According to his brother, Wednesday's showdown was Vickers' first exchange of gunfire with a suspect in his nearly three-decade long career.
'For it now to happen at Parliament ... is unbelievable,' John Vickers told CNN. 'We're just relieved he's OK.'
His sister, Mary, added to the Sun News: 'We're always very proud of Kevin, but at this moment we are concerned about him - he had to make a very serious decision today.'
Heroic: He took down Michael Zehaf-Bibeau, pictured - his first ever exchange of gunfire in his career
Innocent victim: Natan Cirillo, 24, was the soldier shot dead in Wednesday's terror attack on the Canadian Parliament complex
'He's always a natural leader. He would not have taken this decision lightly, and I can't stress that enough - but he would always expect of himself to do what he would expect of the men and women under him.'
Vickers serves a largely ceremonial role at the House of Commons, carrying a scepter and wearing rich green robes, white gloves and a tall imperial tricorne hat.
A fit, tall 6-foot-4, Vickers spends many of his lunch breaks running in order to stay fit. He also carries a 9mm pistol while at work.
Both things appeared to come in extremely handy while Vickers took down the parliament terrorist Wednesday.
'It's Kevin being Kevin,' his cousin Keith told CBC. 'He's a very intelligent and responsible person. He's a people person-type fellow, too, but you don't want to mess with him.'
On Thursday, flags were flown at half-mast across Canada as a shocked and still fearful Ottawa awoke.
A man was arrested for getting too close to Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his wife Laureen as they placed flowers at the scene of the shooting.
Armed officers ordered the unidentified man to the ground for 'disturbing the crime scene' after he was warned not to cross the crime tape but did.
On Wednesday evening Harper addressed his nation from an undisclosed location and condemned the horrific actions but vowed his country's foreign policy would not be thrown off course.
'Canada will never be intimidated,' he said.
Queen Elizabeth released a statement to the country saying she was saddened by the events.
'Prince Philip and I were shocked and saddened by the events in Ottawa. Our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected' she said.
'I am mad at our son': Terrorist's mother speaks out
Immigration chief Susan Bibeau - mother of terrorist Michael Zehaf-Bibeau
'I am writing this note on behalf of my husband and myself. No words can express the sadness we are feeling at this time.
'We are so sad that a man lost his life. He has lost everything and he leaves behind a family that must feel nothing but pain and sorrow. We send our deepest condolences to them although words seem pretty useless. We are both crying for them. We also wish to apologize for all the pain, fright and chaos he created.
'We have no explanation to offer. I am mad at our son, I don’t understand and part of me wants to hate him at this time. You write that our son was vulnerable, we don’t know, we (he) was lost and did not fit in.
I his mother spoke with him last week over lunch, I had not seen him for over five years before that. So I have very little insight to offer.
We don’t wish to be part of any media circus, we don’t think it will add anything to the conversation. Please respect our privacy although many may not feel we deserve any ... Once again we are so sorry.'
Tribute: Stephen Harper laid a floral tribute at the scene of the shooting alongside his wife Loreen on Thursday morning
Arrest: An unidentified man was arrested for disturbing the crime scene as security concerns are still high across Ottawa
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