Nova Scotia RCMP confirmed Monday that at least 19 people are dead after a lone gunman’s rampage, leaving families and communities across Nova Scotia devastated. RCMP say some but not all of the victims were known to the shooter but it’s not yet clear why any of them were targeted.
RCMP confirmed Monday that at least 19 people are dead after a lone gunman’s rampage, leaving families and communities across Nova Scotia devastated.
Chief Supt. Chris Leather said at a news briefing Monday afternoon that some but not all of the victims were known to the gunman.
Leather said officers are currently at 16 crime scenes spread across Portapique, N.S., and other nearby communities.
Leather said there were five structure fires and so far they have been unable to fully examine these crime scenes, as most of them are residences and there may be victims still within the remains of those homes which burned to the ground.
He also said that he expects the number of people killed to rise as they investigate these scenes further.
Leather said on Monday that police have put in two additional referrals to the province’s Serious Incident Response Team, which investigated police-involved fatalities. Leather said he could not provide further details, other than to say it involved the “use of force issue.”
Later in the day, RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki said these incidents did not involve bystanders.
“No innocent civilians have been harmed in these use-of-force incidents,” she said on Monday.
Lucki also said the gunman, Gabriel Wortman, 51, was not well known to police.
She said until they know exactly the cause of each death, she will not comment on the type of weapon the man was in possession of and would not say whether he had a firearms licence.
WATCH | Nova Scotia RCMP give an update on the rampage:
Chief Supt. Chris Leather says RCMP are not yet certain how many people were killed because there may still be victims in burnt-out homes. 4:37
Gunman had police uniform, fake cruiser
At one point during the 12-hour rampage, the suspected shooter even wore a police uniform and drove a mock-up of a police cruiser.
Leather said the gunman’s ability to move around the province undetected was “greatly benefitted” by the fact he had a car made to resemble an RCMP vehicle. But Leather said that vehicle was not a real police cruiser.
He also said that the mock police car was discovered at the crime scene that involved