The Nova Scotia RCMP issued a statement yesterday announcing they now believe there are 22 victims in the mass shooting that started in Portapique, Nova Scotia on Saturday night. The report also states an unspecified number of people were injured, including an RCMP officer on duty.
The RCMP have not yet released all the names of the victims, but family and friends have confirmed the loss of these 18 people:
Lisa McCully
Gina Goulet
Lillian Hyslop
Heather O’Brien
Greg Blair
Jamie Blair
Heidi Stevenson
Alana Jenkins
Sean McLeod
Emily Tuck
Jolene Oliver
Aaron Tuck
Corrie Ellison
Tom Bagley
Kristen Beaton
Joey Webber
John Zahl
and Elizabeth Joanne Thomas
The RCMP statement said police had originally responded to a firearms complaint at 10:30pm on Saturday April 18th in Portapique. In the ensuing investigation, police found more than five structure fires and vehicle fires related to the murders.
Police discovered the perpetrator was wearing an authentic RCMP uniform, and driving a car that the RCMP described as “a very real look-alike RCMP vehicle.”
RCMP tracked the perpetrator down near noon on Sunday April 19th at the Irving Big Stop in Enfield, Nova Scotia, about 30 minutes outside of Halifax. Police shot and killed the perpetrator at that time.
The RCMP are calling their continuing investigation, “detailed and complex”, and announced they are currently working at 16 different locations in the communities of Portapique, Wentworth, Debert, Shubenacadie/Milford and Enfield.
Family and friends of the victims are working to create online, virtual ways to mourn and remember those killed. Several fundraising sites have been created to help support surviving family members.
One website, heartcolchester.ca, has announced an online tribute for Friday April 24th at 7pm, via their Facebook group, Colchester Community Cares. The website, heartcolchester.ca, also links to various fundraising initiatives on behalf of families.
The Nova Scotia government has set up a Facebook group to collect condolences online. You can find the group at The Nova Scotia government has set up a Facebook group to collect condolences online. You can find the group at https://novascotia.ca/condolences or on Facebook as StrongerTogetherNS (https://www.facebook.com/groups/StrongerTogetherNS)
