The soldier shot dead while guarding the National War Memorial in Ottawa Wednesday is Corp. Nathan Frank Cirillo.
The Hamilton Spectator has confirmed Cirillo’s identity through friends and members of the military.
Cirillo, who was a corporal with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, was an active social media user and photos on various sites show he was a young father and a dog lover.
In online posts Cirillo calls his fellow soldiers “brothers” and his dog “my little girl.”
Cirillo’s last post was on Oct. 20 – two days before his death, on the INK361 social media site.
In the picture he is wearing Argyll regalia and smiling beside a fellow soldier. The caption reads: “Just another day at work .”
Four friends commented on the photo after the shooting, saying they were praying for Cirillo.
A photograph of Cirillo in full regalia standing in front of the war memorial was posted on to the Argyll’s of Canada – 91st Canadian Highlanders Facebook page three days ago.
Nine weeks ago, while Cirillo was stationed at the Petawawa military base, he posted a photo with a group of fellow soldiers. The caption reads: “family photo #canadianarmy #brothers.”
Hamilton East-Stoney Creek MP Wayne Marston, who heard gun shots from inside the NDP’s Parliament caucus office, told the Hamilton Spectator the soldier’s death was heartbreaking on Wednesday.
During the shooting rampage, he was escorted out of a side door, through the Senate building and came out in front of the War Memorial as officials were performing CPR on the soldier.
“All I saw was the boot,” Marston said, adding that he instantly recognized the regalia as the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.
“My heart just sank,” he said.
“He would have been standing there with an unloaded weapon,” Marston said. “It’s heartbreaking – young man guarding our memorial . . . the symbolism.”
Members of Hamilton’s Argylls of Canada – 91st Canadian Highlanders were known to be on tour guarding Ottawa’s War Memorial in the days before the shooting Wednesday