Catholic students to wear red for slain soldier

Ottawa reacts to shooting at National War Memorial

Cpl. Nathan Cirillo, 24, at the National War Memorial. (Facebook)

The Windsor-Essex County Catholic District School board is asking its students to wear red on Friday to honour a young corporal who was killed while guarding the National War Memorial in Ottawa.

"What a remarkable statement we would make as a community if all 23,000 of us wore red tomorrow," said director of education Paul Picard.

Cpl. Nathan Cirillo, 24, was shot yesterday morning before the gunman, later identified as Michael Zehaf-Bibeau, took his gun to Parliament Hill.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper and MPs were participating in caucus meetings Wednesday morning when they heard shooting in Centre Block.

Gunfire erupted between police and Zehaf-Bibeau. The gunman was pronounced dead and investigation into the motive for the attack is ongoing.

Meanwhile, the lockdown has ended and Canadians are flying flags at half-mast, laying out flowers, and offering their condolences to Cirillo's loved ones.