Wednesday 22 October 2014

In the meantime, in Ottawa...

I was at my desk this afternoon, working as usual, when a colleague told me to check the news. So this how I learned about the terrorist attack in Ottawa. Probably by Islamists. My brother PJ works in Ottawa. So I was worried. I tried to reach him, to reach my parents, failed to reach him, got my parents, gave them the news, we tried to reach him again, etc. My brother had an interview in Montreal yesterday and was coming back to work this morning by bus. His bus stops in front of the University of Ottawa. I was hoping that his bus had been stopped before crossing the bridge, so he could stay in Gatineau and go home. I then saw this from my bro on his Facebook page: "I should have stayed in Montreal an extra day..." I know it is a very serious moment, the situation is  dark, it is still going on as I am typing this, but I still this deserves to be a great unknown line.

Anyway, my brother is safe and sound, as I have now learned. In Ottawa, locked down at uni, but safe and sound and with his friends.

6 comments:

jaz@octoberfarm said...

i am glad your brother is fine. what a horrible day there.

PJ said...

Lockdowns are long and boring. At least I'm not stuck in a classroom full of students. Plus I do have access to a bathroom, and some food. Just hope it's not going to last all night.

PJ said...

Also, the bus comes from the Ontario side, it doesn't go into Gatineau at all.

Gwen Buchanan said...

The world is going crazy all over the place.
Glad PJ is safe too!

Debra She Who Seeks said...

Glad that PJ is safe and sound at the U of O. I suspect the gunman will turn out to be a lone wolf jihadist. Same as the one who killed the soldier on Monday at the army base. I don't think these are organized attacks. Doesn't make them less deadly or terrifying, of course.

Mantan Calaveras said...

I am glad your bro. is alright.

If it's any consolation, it's looking like these events are just staged performances.

They did one in Portland a couple years back, where they convinced some poor schmuck to try and set off a fake bomb, then took him out.