Shooting in Nova Scotia

[Leaffan]

Holy shit. Impersonating an RCMP officer and killing 14 people. A denturist. Horrible news.

Sleepy Dartmouth Nova Scotia.

Why?

[nearwildheaven]

It was only mentioned in passing on CBS News, mainly to say that an officer had died.

Under other circumstances, we’d have wall-to-wall coverage, which is what these lunatics want.

(There’s another thread about this; can they be whooshed?)

[Darren_Garrison]

Wow, that’s some crazy stuff.

[Ike_Witt]

I always wonder what sets somebody off like that? And that police car shows some serious forethought.

[Snowboarder_Bo]

#1 story on the AP at the moment: 13 killed in Canada shooting rampage, deadliest in 30 years

A man disguised as a police officer went on a shooting rampage in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia on Sunday, killing 13 people, in the deadliest such attack in the country in 30 years. Officials said the suspected shooter was also dead.

A police officer was among those killed. Several bodies were found inside and outside one home in the small, rural town of Portapique, about 60 miles (100 kilometers) north of Halifax — what police called the first scene. Bodies were also found at other locations.

Overnight, police began advising residents of the town — already on lockdown because of the coronavirus pandemic — to lock their doors and stay in their basements. Several homes in the area were set on fire as well.

Police identified the man believed to be the shooter as Gabriel Wortman, 51, who was thought to live part-time in Portapique. Authorities said he wore a police uniform at one point and made his car look like a Royal Canadian Mounted Police cruiser. Authorities believe he may have targeted his first victims but then began attacking randomly.

Police first announced that they had arrested Wortman at a gas station in Enfield, outside Halifax, but later said he had died. It was not clear how, and they did not explain further.

RCMP spokesman Daniel Brien confirmed that 13 people had been killed in addition to the suspect. The dead officer was identified as Constable Heidi Stevenson, a mother of two and a 23-year veteran of the force. Another officer was also injured.

Brien said he could not rule out that the death toll could still rise. Already, it is one of the worst shootings in Canadian history.

[Monty]

@Ike_Witt

I always wonder what sets somebody off like that? And that police car shows some serious forethought.

It doesn’t have to be anything. Irrational acts are, by definition, irrational.

[nearwildheaven]

This sounds even worse than the original reports. Telling residents to hide in their BASEMENTS, and some of them even had their homes set on fire? I have no words.

[madsircool]

@Ike_Witt

I always wonder what sets somebody off like that? And that police car shows some serious forethought.

@Monty

It doesn’t have to be anything. Irrational acts are, by definition, irrational.

Just guessing and without evidence maybe the lockdown pushed him over the edge.

[nearwildheaven]

16 now confirmed dead. This story also said that everything happened over a span of 12 hours. I just can’t imagine the terror the residents must have felt.

16 dead, including police officer, in deadliest shooting in Canadian history

[nearwildheaven]

Someone on another website who said they have a summer cabin in this town says the death toll is now 17, and they haven’t heard from some friends who live there. They’re hoping that the people didn’t know the town was given an all-clear.

[Snowboarder_Bo]

The story has been updated this morning and now says “at least 18 dead”.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the gunman killed at least 18 people during the 12-hour rampage over a large swath of northern Nova Scotia.

[DrDeth]

UPDATE: Trudeau promises swift action on gun control following Nova Scotia...

More gun control, of course.

[Lumpy]

More info needed: what gun(s) did the shooter use? Did he have any of them legally, or did he 100% break the already existing laws to obtain them? Would any of the proposed measures have prevented this?

[DrDeth]

@Lumpy

More info needed: what gun(s) did the shooter use? Did he have any of them legally, or did he 100% break the already existing laws to obtain them? Would any of the proposed measures have prevented this?

They have not released that info.

[elbows]

The PM mentioned they were about to table legislation covering assault weapons, before the lockdown. And that they will continue to pursue it once the house sits again.

Could be a coincidence. He didn’t say it was an assault rifle. And they did already have legislation ready. Shrug.

[Bear_Nenno]

@elbows

The PM mentioned they were about to table legislation covering assault weapons, before the lockdown. And that they will continue to pursue it once the house sits again.

Could be a coincidence. He didn’t say it was an assault rifle. And they did already have legislation ready. Shrug.

For Americans who aren’t aware, “to table” legislation means the exact opposite in Canada as it does in the US.

[DrDeth]

@elbows

The PM mentioned they were about to table legislation covering assault weapons, before the lockdown. And that they will continue to pursue it once the house sits again.
…

From my reading of the laws, all such weapons are already banned.

[elbows]

They could be considering a change to what qualifies as an assault weapon, maybe? Just a guess!

[JRDelirious]

I have been to NS several times and worked with people from there for several years in the past and have only best memories of both place and persons. This news pained me greatly.

Meanwhile Trudeau has also asked that the assailant’s name not be given media publicity. Will be interesting to see how that turns out.

[Dr_Paprika]

Nova Scotia is a beautiful place. People are very nice, generally. The shooter was a “police enthusiast” known for collecting guns and memorabilia and modifying cars to make them look forceful.

I hope Canada goes full New Zealand and bans everything in excess of what is needed for a challenging hunt. 19 dead. Biggest shooting in Canuck history. Not likely the last.