Sixteen confirmed deaths on Sunday in Nova Scotia, Canada, when a man disguised himself as a police officer and went on a killing rampage.
In the town of Portapique, several bodies were discovered in a small home, which police call the first scene. There were many more bodys to be discovered at different locations, one was also an Officer of the Law, and one to be the shooter as well.
Although many were on high alert from the virus, Police Officers advised those in the area to immediately lock their doors and to evacuate into their basements. Many homes were set on fire once the gunman realizes he could not get in, and that no one would answer the door.
Fifty-One year old, Gabriel Wortman, was identified as the shooter. Comments say that he worked part time in Portapique. Police are stating that he wore a police uniform and painted his car so that it would indefinitely look like a Royal Canadian Mounted Police car. Many believe he had an original victim in mind, but later continued to attack at random.
Wortman was first announced to have been arrested by police at a gas station outside of Haalifax, but was rather confirmed dead at the site. They did not explain how he ended up that way and was unclear about how he died.
“This is one of the most senseless acts of violence in our province’s history,” stated by Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil.
David Brien, spokesman of Royal Canadian Mounted Police, confirmed that sixteen people were killed including the shooter himself. Twenty-three year old Heidi Stevenson, was a veteran of the force and a mother of two, was identified as the dead police officer also known as a constable in RCMP.
Mass shootings are exceedingly rare in Canada since 1989, when the gun- control laws were enforced after a mass 15 people died including the gunman, before now was known as the country’s worst gun incident. Marc Lepine himself and fourteen other women at Montreal’s Ecole Polytechnique College.
Unregistered rapid-firing weapons of any kind are illegal for residents to own in Canada. In order for a resident of Canada, they must undergo a personal risk assessment training, two references, and criminal record checks to purchase a weapon.
“As a country, in moments like these, we come together to support one another. Together we will mourn with the families of the victims, and help them get through this difficult time,” stated in a written statement by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Police did not reveal what they believe to be the real motives of the attack, just that they do not believe that it did not start out as random. Chief Superintendent Chris Leather of RCMP states that many of the victims did not know the shooter.
“The fact that this individual had a uniform and a police car at his disposal certainly speaks to it not being a random act,” stated Chris Leather. He also noticed that the department believes that the shooter acted alone.
RCMP ensures that there will be a thorough investigation on if the attack was inspired by the Coronavirus but no dots have been connected yet.
Although he does admit there was an exchange in fire between the shooter and an officer of RCMP.
Yellow tape had sealed off the gas pumps at which a large silver colored SUV was being investigated and the shooter was suspected of dying at. The scene was surrounded by a half dozen police cars.
A spokeswoman with the Provincial Force, CPL. Lisa Croteau, says that police had received a phone call late Saturday night about “a person with a gun”, and when they sent officers to scope out the situation it “evolved into an active shooting investigation.”
It was an extremely terrifying night for the small town, seated by Christan Miller, a resident of the town as she watched the dozens of Police Officers patrolling the streets. Helicopters took to the sky in the morning to try and find the suspect. “ it’s nerve wracking because you don’t know if somebody has lost their mind and is going to beat in your front door,” stated Christine Mills.
Representative of the Portapique area in the Municipality of Colchester, lawyer Tom Targgart stated that the once quiet community has the spirit to its core.
Over a phone interview from his home in the nearby Bass River, Taggart states that “This is just an absolutely wonderful, peaceful quiet community and the idea that this could happen in our community is unbelievable.”
In the city of Dartmouth, known as a denturist, a person who creates false teeth, stated by the Denturist Society Of Nova Society website. Issued by the RCMP police was an image of the suspect who is seen in the video being interviewed in 2014 about the dentures by CTV Atlantic.
Wortman was especially known as someone who spent half his time with the residence of Halifax and the other half with the residence of Portapique.
Although Taggart himself said that he didn’t know Wortman that well, but that he had exchanged words over the phone quite a bit, and that he knew him as the “lovely big home” on Portapique Beach Road.
