Canadians are in shock as more details emerge of a shooting rampage in a rural town near Halifax that began on Saturday and ended on Sunday, leaving 16 people dead. The shooting in the town of Portapique, about 100km north of Halifax, is the deadliest in the country’s history.
The gunman, identified as Gabriel Wortman (51), was also killed in the attack. He wore a police uniform at one point during the attack and modified his vehicle to look like a police car. Wortman was cornered at a gas station in Enfield by armed police.
According to reports, the gunman killed several people inside and outside of one home in Portapique, before moving to other locations. Police believe the gunman targeted his first victims intentionally, before attacking at random. Wortman allegedly set fire to several homes as well.
As the shooting rampage unfolded, police advised residents of Portapique to lock their doors and stay in their basements. The town had been in lockdown due to coronavirus restrictions.
Denturist passionate about policing
According to local media, Gabriel Wortman was a denturist—a person who makes dentures—in the city of Dartmouth, near Halifax. The Globe and Mail reported, “Since high school, Gabriel Wortman, a denturist with multiple Nova Scotia clinics, had shown an obsession for policing, buying law-enforcement memorabilia and boasting about his hobby of refurbishing old police cruisers.”
“Neighbours told The Globe and Mail that Wortman was known to struggle with alcohol use and that his business had been shuttered by the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Reactions to attack
"This is one of the most senseless acts of violence in our province's history," said Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil. "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," Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in a written news release.
A police officer, Constable Heidi Stevenson, was also killed in the attack. Stevenson was a mother of two and a 23-year veteran of the police. Another police officer was injured in the attack.
"That fact that this individual had a uniform and a police car at his disposal certainly speaks to it not being a random act," a police spokesperson said. He added that police believe the gunman acted alone.
History of shootings
Mass shootings have been relatively rare in Canada since the country overhauled its gun-control laws after gunman Marc Lepine killed 14 women and himself at Montreal's Ecole Polytechnique College in 1989. The Montreal shooting had been the worst in the country’s history till Sunday.
