Vickers participated in ending the October 22, 2014, shootings at Parliament Hill alongside RCMP Constable Curtis Barrett when they both returned heavy fire at gunman Zehaf-Bibeau.[5][6][7] Minutes earlier, Zehaf-Bibeau had killed Corporal Nathan Cirillo, a soldier, at the Canadian National War Memorial and shot a constable at the Peace Tower entrance.[8] For his actions Vickers has been called a hero by the Prime Minister, Ministers of the Crown,[9] the Leader of the Opposition,[10] and Canadian and international media.[11] Barrett's contribution was largely ignored.[12] On February 8, 2016, Vickers was presented with the Star of Courage along with six others involved in bringing the incident under control. Eight others were awarded the Medal of Bravery.[13]
Prior to his role in Parliament, Vickers served in the RCMP for 29 years, rising to the rank of Chief Superintendent.
Early life and family
Vickers was born at Hotel Dieu in Chatham, New Brunswick,[14] where his mother, Monica Margaret (née Kingston), was a nurse, and his father, William James "Bill" (1921–2004),[15] operated a dairy named Northumberland Co-op Dairy.[16] He is of Irish heritage.[17]
Vickers resides in Miramichi, New Brunswick, with his wife Ann. He has two children: Andrew and Laura.
Career
Policing
Vickers served in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police for 29 years, attaining the rank of Chief Superintendent. He gained prominence as the incident commander during the 1999–2000 Burnt Church Crisis.[19][20] He spent ten years stationed in Alberta and ten years stationed in the Northwest Territories,[21] and subsequently was the director-general of the RCMP's aboriginal police services branch.[22] In 2003, he became Director General of the National Contract Policing Branch for Canada, managing nine separate branches of law enforcement.[21]
In June 2005 he joined the House of Commons as Director of Security Operations. He was appointed Sergeant-at-Arms for the Canadian House of Commons on August 24, 2006, and began serving on September 1, 2006.[23][24]
On acting to permit the kirpan, the ceremonial dagger that observant Sikhs are required to wear at all times, to be worn in the Commons, Vickers recalled that in his interview for the post "... I told them that if they made me their Sergeant-at-Arms, there would be no walls built around Canada's Parliamentary buildings ... I have kept my promise."[18]
On October 22, 2014, during the Parliament Hill attack, Vickers was initially identified as the sole hero and credited with the fatal shooting of Michael Zehaf-Bibeau,[26] but once the independent OPP report was released on June 1, 2015, it was revealed that the suspect was shot several times by both Vickers and RCMP Constable Curtis Barrett.[27] Zehaf-Bibeau entered the Centre Block under the Peace Tower, shooting a Commons security guard in the leg, exchanging gunfire, before running down the Hall of Honour to an alcove by the entrance to the Library of Parliament, which is beside Vickers' office. Vickers pulled a 9mm handgun from a lock-box and entered the hall. He stood behind the pillar in an opposite position to Zehaf-Bibeau and shortly after Zehaf-Bibeau had pulled away from the pillar and shot at Barrett, Vickers threw himself on the ground and fired multiple shots at the gunman, effectively disabling him. A niece told the Calgary Sun, "This is the first time in his career that he's shot anyone."[28]
On May 26, 2016, Vickers engaged a protester who was interrupting a ceremony commemorating British soldiers who were killed in the 1916 Easter Rising, dragging the man to one side before handing him over to Gardaí officers.[30][31]
Politics
On March 15, 2019, Vickers announced he would run for the leadership of the New Brunswick Liberal Association to replace Brian Gallant.[32] He was acclaimed as the leader after the only other contender René Ephestion dropped out.[33] The Liberal Party's executive board acclaimed Vickers on the recommendation by the leadership convention's steering committee on April 16, 2019, effective April 24, 2019.[34]
2009 (2009): Honoured by the Association of Progressive Muslims of Canada for "long outstanding service", and "efforts to promote bias-free policing and diversity in the workplace".[37]
2015: Order of New Brunswick for his role in stopping the shooting at Parliament Hill on October 22, 2014[38]
2016: Star of Courage, awarded to him along with other recipients, for his role in stopping the shooting on Parliament Hill.[13] The citation reads
On October 22, 2014, members of the House of Commons protection services and the RCMP were instrumental in stopping an armed man who had stormed the Centre Block of the Parliament Buildings in Ottawa, Ontario. Constable Son was stationed at the front entrance when he spotted the man entering with a concealed rifle. The constable lunged to gain control of the firearm, but it discharged and struck him in the leg. Drawn to the Rotunda by the noise, Corporal Malo and Constable Thom took cover and exchanged several rounds with the gunman after he entered the building. Constable Létourneau tracked the gunman down the Hall of Honour toward the Library of Parliament and fired at him several times. RCMP Sergeant Rozon, Corporal Daigle and constables Barrett, Bergeron, Bubelis, Célestin, Fraser, Marcoux, Palmer, Ruest and Waye, who had assembled outside the Peace Tower, entered the Centre Block. Supported by their colleagues, Sergeant Rozon, Corporal Daigle and constables Barrett and Fraser assumed a tactical formation (IARD) as they charged down the Hall of Honour. With the shooter now cornered in an alcove leading to the Library, Sergeant-at-Arms Vickers, after being advised of the shooter’s location, dove to the floor in front of him and fired his weapon. RCMP Constable Barrett walked directly toward the gunman while also firing his weapon. The collective actions of these 16 individuals brought the incident to an end in less than three minutes, and avoided further tragedy.[13]
Vickers has also been recognized by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration for his "Outstanding Contribution to Drug Enforcement".[19]
Comedian Stephen Colbert had high praise for Vickers, comparing his actions to those of Bruce Willis in the movie Die Hard and also praising his stoic reaction to the standing ovation in Parliament.[43][44]
French President François Hollande said in an address to the Canadian Parliament, "I salute the courage of Kevin Vickers, who is known all across the world."[45]
"The International Conference on Homeland Security in Tel Aviv in November 2014 opened with calling Sergeant-at-Arms Kevin Vickers to the stage to acknowledge him for his courage." During the same trip, Vickers was recognized by the speaker of the Israeli Knesset and asked to rise in his seat in the gallery to be acknowledged by parliamentarians.[46]
