Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Twelve hours of terror: how the Nova Scotia shooting rampage unfolded

Key points
Very poor performance by LE
Shooter was not licensed to have a firearm
No one knows how he obtained firearm or firearms
No one knows how he acquired a RCMP uniform

New details have emerged in Canada’s worst mass shooting, raising fresh questions about the attack and authorities’ response

Emergency crews rushing to respond after reports of gunfire in a quiet Nova Scotia town were taken aback when they encountered thick clouds of smoke at the scene.

“Is there also a structure fire out this way?” one first responder asked his dispatcher. “We’re seeing huge flames and smoke.”

Soon afterwards, when a number of gunshot victims were found, an emergency worker asked if the gunman had been detained.

“No, not for sure,” the dispatcher replied. “They don’t know if they’ve caught him.”

Audio recordings from the night of 18 April capture the atmosphere of chaos and uncertainty as emergency teams grappled with the Nova Scotia mass shooting.

The confusion partially explains how a dental technician named Gabriel Wortman was able kill at least 22 people, including a police officer, firefighter, nurse and teacher. For more than 12 hours, the gunman evaded police, traveling across the province before he was shot dead outside a gas station.

As Canada reels from the worst mass shooting in its history, new details of the slaughter and its aftermath have emerged – raising fresh questions about the shooting and the response of the emergency services.

Among the revelations is the fact that for nearly seven hours, authorities did not realize the murderer was disguised as a police officer and driving a replica police cruiser.

Clinton Ellison and his brother, Corrie, were staying at their father’s home in Portapique when they heard a single gunshot on Saturday evening.

Heading outside to investigate, the brothers spotted a large fire up the road. Corrie walked ahead, but he soon called his brother and told him to contact the fire department.

When Corrie failed to return home, Clinton followed his path towards the smoke and found his brother’s body in the road.

“I shut my flashlight off, I turned around – and I ran for my life in the dark,” Clinton told CBC News. Sprinting as fast as possible, Ellison turned up the driveway of a cottage.

“I turned around and looked towards the road I had just run from to see a little flashlight flashing around, looking for me,” he said.

Realizing the gunman was searching for him, Ellison ran blindly into the woods.

For nearly four hours he hid among the trees – praying for help amid bursts of gunfire and explosions from the fires – before officers led him to safety.

“To walk up and find my brother dead, and to be hunted by this fella that killed all these people, I’ll be traumatized for the rest of my life,” he said.


Police have not yet identified the first victims who were found around a Portapique home, nor have they given a description of the events that led to the first emergency calls.

The head of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Brenda Lucki, has said that several of the victims were known to the gunman – but that he later simply opened fire at anyone in his path.

According to the Globe and Mail, detectives found a “kill list” at Wortman’s house on Saturday night, with the names of potential victims.

Late on Saturday night, an officer in tactical equipment arrived at Nathan Staples’ house, warning the Glenholme resident that his name was one of them.

“The investigator said I was seventh or eighth on the list. I didn’t know what to think,” Staples told the Globe. “He came to apologize. He said: ‘We’re sorry we couldn’t have been there quicker.’ That’s when I got angry.”

By dawn on Sunday, police had developed a clearer picture of their suspect, but confusion and uncertainty remained.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers surround a suspect at a gas station in Enfield, Nova Scotia. Photograph: Tim Krochak/AP
During the manhunt, two officers discharged their weapons at a fire station in the town of Lower Onslow, leaving a string of bullet holes in the facade.

Several people were inside the building but the suspect was not known to be in the area at the time. The serious incident response team – an independent body that intervenes after police shootings – is investigating.

“We don’t know what they were firing at,” the SIRT director, Pat Curran, told the Toronto Star.

Nearly 12 hours after police received their first 911 call, the murder spree came to an end at a gas station outside the town of Enfield, more than 50 miles from where the first victims were found.

Jonathan Heffernan, a firefighter at the Halifax international airport, had pulled in to refill his truck. Thanks to the coronavirus lockdown, the station – usually bustling on a Sunday morning – was largely empty, but the quiet was soon punctured by an exchange of gunfire.

“I had no idea what was going on,” Heffernan told the Guardian. “A guy was running around the corner of the building. He yelled to me that someone was shooting. We both hid behind my truck. We still had no idea what was happening.

“I’ve been a firefighter for 14 years. Absolutely the most terrified I have ever been.”

The two hid behind Heffernan’s truck as heavily armed police swarmed the area and helicopters circled overhead. Ten minutes later, the two men were told they could safely come out of hiding.

It wasn’t until later that Heffernan realised that he knew one of the victims: Tom Bagley, a volunteer firefighter whose generosity and unflinching kindness were praised by friends and colleagues.

“Learning that a former member of our fire family was also killed just added to the emotion,” said Heffernan.

The maritime province has been deeply shaken by the killings. “There are just so many pieces left to pick up before people can even begin to start grieving,” said Tiff Ward, a lifelong resident of the region who knew several of the victims.

Police believe Wortman acted alone – although they are investigating whether he was helped in obtaining firearms and the police uniform. The RCMP said Wortman did not appear to have a firearms licence.

Because the coronavirus pandemic has prevented mass gatherings, community members have a planned an online vigil for Friday evening, said Ward.

“Everybody’s dropped their work and they’re bringing their very best self too,” she said. “And we need this. We need a really big light to shine up into the biggest darkness imaginable.”

That is one wild story. What a Psycho. The guy dressed as a cop and had a car that looked like a cop car. That could have fooled anybody.
And then he is setting houses on fire, and shooting the people as they come out.
I mean, if your house is on fire, and you grab your children and run out the door, and you see a police officer standing there, the last thought on your mind is that you need to shoot the officer.

What is the deal with guns in Canada today? I know you can't get a pistol or an AK. Can citizens have a .22 rifle, or a shotgun?

It is interesting how this story is under the radar screen on national media. Not a peep about it on NBC Nightly News. In ordinary times this would be the lead story and they would go on and on for fifteen minutes, talking about how Canada needs more gun control, and we do too!
This shows you how obsessed the media is with the Corona.

Here's a brief recap of Canadian gun laws, from what I've read. Anyone can jump in with corrections or additions if they want.
Manually operated (bolt, pump, lever) long guns aren't really regulated. They are known as "non restricted firearms". You still have to take a safety class, get a background check, etc.
Next are "restricted firearms". This includes semi auto long guns and handguns. Handguns must have at least a 4.2in barrel, hold 10rds or less, and not be a .25 or .32. Long guns can only have a magazine capacity of 5rds. I believe that there is an exemption for M1 Garands. I read that somewhere but can't find a source right now.

"" Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers surround a suspect at a gas station in Enfield, Nova Scotia. Photograph: Tim Krochak/AP
During the manhunt, two officers discharged their weapons at a fire station in the town of Lower Onslow, leaving a string of bullet holes in the facade.

Several people were inside the building but the suspect was not known to be in the area at the time. The serious incident response team – an independent body that intervenes after police shootings – is investigating.

“We don’t know what they were firing at,” the SIRT director, Pat Curran, told the Toronto Star. ""

UPhiker, not quite. Semi-auto long guns aren’t restricted unless they’re considered “scary, black guns”.

So, AR’s, AK’s and similar are either restricted or prohibited ie. treated the same as handguns, which can only be used for target shooting at an approved range. Semi-auto hunting rifles are not.

For some reason, the Mini-14, which was used in 1989 in the shooting at Ecole Politechnique is not restricted. Neither are some bullpups, like Norinco T97. I have one simply for the reason I can. It’s my “piss off a liberal” gun.

AFA 5 rounds for semi-auto long guns and 10 for handguns, you can’t have more than a 5-round AR mag, but you can have a 10-round AR pistol mag. So if it’s marked CAR-15, it’s legal for 10 rounds and in a rifle that fits it.

22 semi-auto have no mag limit. 30, 100, whatever. Except Rugers. Since they brought out the Ruger Charger, which uses 10/22 mags, and there is a 10 round limit on handgun mags, Ruger 22 mags that hold more than 10 rounds are now “prohibited”, which means they fall into the same class as full-auto - can’t legally own one unless you had it before 1993 and were grandfathered.

All this is to say - it doesn’t have to make sense. It’s gov’t policy.

To add to the stupidity, it’s illegal to carry pepper-spray for self-defence. It’s considered a “prohibited weapon” just like full-auto.

However, you can easily and legally buy bear or dog-defence spray. It’s pepper spray, but it’s labelled as such and legal to defend yourself against dogs or bears. But get caught using one do defend yourself against a criminal, and you’ll be charged as if you used a full-auto on someone.

Damn...

Truly...my prayers are with you guys. Terrible situation all around

Worth watching

^^^ He’s right.

The RCMP had access to the Emergency Alert system for cellphones.

What will be hidden is that they didn’t issue an alert because they knew the guy was wearing an RCMP uniform and they didn’t want every RCMP officer to become a target. Right or wrong, they were protecting their own asses, not anyone else’s.

There are arguments on both sides but the bottom line is that the police withheld information which would have permitted many of the victims to protect themselves. And they will not be held accountable for that.

Liberal Urbanites make common-sense uncommon irrespective of lines on a map.

There's a lot of secret holes in that story. Maybe I'm just stupid, but I've got a few questions.

What the hell was on fire?
Was he waiting at the fire for emergency personnel to show up so he could kill them?
How many people were killed at the scene of the fire?
Did he go elsewhere and kill people? They did say that bodies were found at another residence.
Did he go to people's houses and kill them? He had a list.
How did police figure out who he was on Saturday night? Was there evidence at the scene of the fire?
How did they end up at the first gas station?
Why were they shooting at the first gas station? Sounds like maybe they had it out with him there and he may have escaped.
How did they end up at the second gas station? Was there a high speed chase?
What kind of gun, or guns were used?
How did he make his car look like a patrol car?
Were they confused because he was impersonating a police officer?

It's noteworthy that Justin and his minions called for more gun control before they released any details about what happened. As of right now, they STILL haven't released a description of the weapon(s) used.

I'm sorry for what our Canadian neighbors had to endure there. It will resonate for a long time and in multiple ways I expect.

kolofardos;
Top of the morning to you sir, I trust that the day is as bright and clear out west as it looks to be here so far. We're a tad chilly, but otherwise well and I hope you folks are as well.

Thanks so much for the video sir, I watched it and then did a bit of digging on the chap who did it.

Turns out he's a Canadian Army vet who served in Afghanistan and was one of the few people protesting the mess Mr. Dressup put us in with Omar Khadr.

Here's a link to him on Gavin McInes' youtube show.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9c0UJu_nFfM

I'll apologize too for not saying in a previous post on this subject that my thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends left behind of the victims out there in Nova Scotia - including the RCMP Constable.

For the record and to be absolutely clear, in no way, shape or form do I mean any of this as a criticism to any individual LEO officer in Canada, RCMP or otherwise. This is leveled at management and their government bosses.

Honestly the more I hear about this absolute cluster and then the RCMP brass' response as well as Bill Blair and PM Shiny Pony promising to make us all safe by taking firearms away from Canadians 4500 km away, the less I'm inclined to participate in ANYTHING WHATSOEVER coming out of Ottawa, you know?

Again, I'll apologize for shouting, but in my view the RCMP seemingly learned nothing from their bungling of Mayerthorpe, Moncton or even their outright theft and destruction of personal property in High River.

As noted on another thread, the RCMP brass "couldn't say" if any of the LEO besides ERT were equipped with the "new patrol carbines" as they've had trouble with the training.... Holy cow!!!! they were "rolling them out" when the Moncton shooting went down in 2014.

Again too, I find it so disingenuous when it's a "patrol carbine" in RCMP hands, but an "assault weapon meant to kill people" when it's in my safe. Which is it Canadian mainstream media???

Anyway sir, I could go on but in all likelihood I should get out and get some work done.

Stay well and we'll be in touch sir.

Dwayne

It's what happens when liberals keep stacking laws on top of laws, each layer lousy with its own complexities, mistakes, double-entrendre.

What besides craziness motivated him?

It was COVID-19 I'm sure. His kids were home from school for the last month and his wife is a bitch, so he came off the rails.

Latest news is that he was at a party (social distancing, I’m sure) and got into an argument with his girlfriend.

They went home and the argument continued, with him assaulting her and tying her up. She escaped and ran to hide in the woods until 7 am. She was uninjured.

Meanwhile, he went on his rampage.

Interesting point - he apparently had an assault conviction from 2004, which would have prohibited him from having any guns at all. Yet he used a rifle (unknown type) a shotgun and a handgun in his rampage.

I know that you are making a joke about a terrible situation and I respect that. But it's true as well. My wife and kids are going nuts without any structure or routine. I'm sure many people are way worse than my loved ones.