Photo: Contributed

Michael Zehaf Bibeau

The mother of the man identified as the assailant who killed a soldier at the National War Memorial before opening fire in Parliament says she is crying for the victims of the shooting, not her son.

In a brief and tear-filled telephone call Thursday, Susan Bibeau told the Associated Press she did not know what to say to those hurt in the attack.

"Can you ever explain something like this?" she said. "We are sorry."

Authorities have identified the shooter as Michael Zehaf Bibeau, who was known to police in Montreal and Vancouver

Zehaf Bibeau is suspected of shooting and killing Cpl. Nathan Cirillo, a reservist from Hamilton who was standing guard at the National War Memorial, before opening fire in the halls of Parliament.

Zehaf Bibeau was then killed in a gunfight in the Centre Block.

Three other people were injured in the melee, but were released from hospital on Wednesday.

The shootings had placed much of the national capital under lockdown but by Thursday morning, Ottawa police said they believed only one gunman was involved in the attacks.