Nova Scotia
RCMP expect the death toll of Canada’s deadliest mass shooting to rise in the coming days.
At a news conference in Dartmouth Monday afternoon, Chief Superintendent Chris Leather said at least 19 innocent people lost their lives in a 12-hour rampage that started in Portapique and ended in Enfield on Sunday.
Leather said RCMP officers were investigating
16 crime scenes in Portapique and other communities in central and northern Nova Scotia.
“We’ve identified all the crime scenes, however, we’ve been unable to fully examine the crime scenes because, for instance, we have had
five structure fires, most of those being residences, and
we believe there may be victims still within the remains of those homes,” he said.
“So that part of the investigation is still very much ongoing, and again, speaks to why we don’t have a final total because we expect that to rise in the coming days.”
“So that part of the investigation is still very much ongoing, and again, speaks to why we don’t have a final total because we expect that to rise in the coming days.”
All of the victims identified so far are adults.
Leather said
some of the victims were known to the shooter, while others appeared to be chosen at random.
“Until we have confirmation from the medical examiner that certain victims have been identified, we’re unable to formally release the names and information of the deceased and that would include family members,” Leather said when asked why some family members who haven’t heard from those in the Portapique area haven’t been contacted.
RCMP have also been notified that some people may have been injured during the 12-hour event, but haven’t yet confirmed the information.
A
mock police car and RCMP uniform allowed the suspect “to move around the province undetected” and be “steps ahead of our investigators,” Leather said. Lucki said investigators are working to track the origin of “every piece” of the car and uniform, but so far all the items examined appear to be
replicas.
In a news release Monday evening, SIRT（ Serious Incident Response Team）said it is investigating "the discharge of firearms by two members of the RCMP."
Lucki said
wherever there is a use of force by police an investigation must occur, but confirmed that no innocent civilians were harmed.
Nova Scotia RCMP expect the death toll of Canada’s deadliest mass shooting to rise in the coming days. At a news conference in Dartmouth Monday afternoon, ...
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