A gunman disguised as a police officer went on a 12-hour rampage in Nova Scotia, shooting people in their homes, setting fires and killing in excess of 19 people in the deadliest such attack in the country’s history.
Officer responsible for Criminal Operations in Nova Scotia, RCMP Superintendent Chris Leather, provided the update this afternoon. Leather confirmed police are at 16 crime scenes in central and northern Nova Scotia. Police say the shooter knew some of the victims and had targeted them, but others were unknown to him. All the known victims, both men and women, were adults.
A 51-year-old gunman, a denturist who at one point was driving a replica RCMP cruiser and dressed in a police-type uniform, first came to police attention following reports of shots fired in Portapique. The attacks continued through central Nova Scotia and ended in Enfield not far from Halifax Stanfield International Airport.
RCMP are actively investigating the crime scenes, a process that could take months.
The Serious Incident Response Team was called in yesterday to investigate the death of the suspect as the result of police response to the incident; RCMP now confirm that two more referrals have been made to SIRT.
We are with you Nova Scotia. @StephenMcNeil pic.twitter.com/oFRBa3XcGS
— Premier of NL (@PremierofNL) April 20, 2020
The flags are flying at half-mast at Confederation Building as Newfoundland and Labrador sends condolences. Dwight Ball offered his thanks to first responders and remembered the loss of Constable Heidi Stevenson, an RCMP officer who lost her life responding to the call.
He spoke to Premier Stephen McNeil last night and offered his condolences on behalf of the people of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Lisa McCully, a teacher at Debert Elementary School, was a victim. She was known as a passionate teacher and “as a shining love” in the lives of her friends and family.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is encouraging all Canadians to mourn together by being a part of a vigil Friday night.
He says the pandemic will prevent us from mourning in person, but we can join the vigil at 7:00 Friday night through the Facebook group Colchester Supporting Our Community.
