A GUNMAN shot and injured a soldier standing guard at the National War Memorial in Ottawa today before entering the Canadian parliament amid further gunfire. 

Reuters later reported that the gunman had been shot dead by police outside parliament, although police believed there was more than one attacker.

The downtown area of the Canadian capital was shut down by police searching for another suspect.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper was evacuated safely as were ministers who were attending a cabinet meeting in the building when the shooting broke out.

Witnesses said the gunman entered parliament with a rifle and shots rang out.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police warned people in downtown Ottawa to stay away from windows and rooftops.

The shooting, which happened shortly before 10am, came just two days after two Canadian soldiers were run over and one of them killed in Quebec by a man with jihadist sympathies.

The Muslim convert was shot dead by Quebec police.