2020 Nova Scotia killing spree
On April 18, a massive killing spree occurred in one of the Canadian provinces called Nova Scotia. A man called Gabriel Wortman committed much shooting across the rural area, where he killed 22 people in two days. He killed 22 people and injured 3 of the residents by setting fire to 16 locations. Wortman’s motive is still not clear to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police because he was caught driving a police replica car and wearing a police uniform (Stewart, 2020). Although many people witnessed his violence before his massive killing spree and stated that he used to beat his partner often. His girlfriend was hiding in the woods during the killing spree. She took shelter in one of Portapique’s residents, whose good friends were also murdered by Wortman. The massive killing spree committed by Gabriel Wortmann has many hidden aspects to the leading of rampage as multiple complaints were registered against him. His girlfriend was afraid of complaining police against him, so he continued domestic violence over her. The police could have handled the situation better by taking actions beforehand because they avoided the complaints, did not issue a province-wide alert and ignored the killer’s domestic violence.
Firstly, the police had the opportunity to handle the situation in a better aspect. Before April 18, 2020, Gabriel Wortman had a reputation “in the rural town of Portapique for being violent and intimidating.” Police did not investigate the prior complaints registered against Wortman, which lead to the occurrence of this massive killing spree. The evidence of this aspect of the case was highlighted by Brenda Forbes, who lives next to Wortman. The lady told Canadian Broadcasting Corporation that 51-year-old Gabriel was notorious for his violent acts in the community. She said, “I first became aware of Wortman’s domestic violence in the early 2000s when his common-law partner approached me for help” (Stewart, 2020). Forbes further told CBC that she often used to beat his girlfriend, who was afraid of registering a complaint against him because she was afraid of repercussions. At that time, Forbes called RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) herself, but they did not take any action against the violent man. They said that they cannot do anything in the matter and can only monitor his actions. Royal Canadian police ignored the violent character of Wortman in 2013, which led to claim lives of 22 residents in 2020. Forbes husband, who was a commando of Canadian Forces, also reported police about Wortman’s gun possession. However, the police again did not take any action. The case was highlighted all over Canada, where people started accusing police after the statement of Brenda Forbes. Nova Scotia’s activists exclaimed that police had ignored all red flags, which became the killing spree (Sophia, 2020). According to the police report, killing spree is caused due to misogyny, where Wortman beat his partner hours before his mass murder. Activists are still igniting the fire by accusing public authorities of not taking actions against domestic abuse reports registered in the past. They are demanding that the killing spree should be recognized as femicide and not misogyny, as stated by the police. Brenda Forbes and his husband left the town in 2014 because of the fear of Gabriel Wortman. Therefore, six years later, on April 18, Wortmann killed 22 people in just 13 hours of the mass shooting. The police ignored all the red flags which claimed the deaths of 22 people, but Wortman’s girlfriend survived by fleeing into the woods. In search of his girlfriend, Wortmann killed 22 other residents who directly indicates that domestic violence is the reason for the case. Wortman had a reputation for domestic abuse over his girlfriend, and he was mentally sick. Activists are accusing the government of not taking male violence against women seriously. Hence, police have ignored all the red flags, which mostly include domestic abuse of Gabriel Wortman against his partner and the complaints of Brenda Forbes and his husband.
Further, police did not issue any province-wide alert against the killer to protect the citizens. Research showed that massive killing sprees have one common reason: women’s hatred and domestic violence. When Brenda Forbes and his husband reported against Gabriel Wortsman, police should have issued a province-wide alert for citizens’ safety. The ignorance of Canadian police at that time, claimed the lives of 22 innocent people where death and fear ascended the surviving citizens. Leon Joudrey stated, “I am the lucky one. I survived, but I still have to deal with the aftermath of it” (Sophia, 2020). His statement directly indicates that he is fearful of going back to his home, where he could not live with memories of his dead friends. The police should value women’s voices against violence because domestic abuse and violence is a common thread leading to such rampages. Sarson, who was signed to investigate the role of misogyny, played in killing spree stated. “We have good laws in the country, but it’s the practice that’s the issue” (Ivan & Meredith, 2020). His statement is clear about the bitter fact that police had ignored the voices of Brenda Forbes in 2013. The issue is deeply rooted in the society where the public authorities always ignore domestic violence against women. The mass murder was claimed as femicide because the policy denied taking actions against Wortman in 2013. Furthermore, there is an issue of the training of police officers. According to the police report, Gabriel was driving a police replica car and was wearing a police uniform. What was the motive behind this approach? Was he dress up like a cop to find his girlfriend who could be hiding anywhere in the society? Did he kill people because he was mentally sick? All these queries put a question mark on the training of law enforcement officers. At first, they ignored the complaints of violence against Wortmann. After that, they did not issue a province-wide alert to protect the citizens. What if they have been failed to capture Wortman at the gas station? He would have continued his killing across the community, claiming more innocent lives. However, there is a lack of practice of law enforcement about domestic violence in the community. Domestic abuse is still an issue in the modern age, where its ignorance has deadly consequences for everyone. The Canadian Criminal Justice should force the practice of law enforcement against domestic abuse. Hence, police were failed to issue a province-wide alert in the community, which could have put other innocent lives at stake.
Lastly, police have failed to practise law enforcement against domestic violence in the 2020 killing spree. Canada is a developed country where human rights have the highest priority. In the modern age, the country is still facing domestic violence issues due to a lack of law enforcement practice. Activists protested for banning the assault-weapons in the country. In response to these voices, Canadian Deputy Prime Minister, Christa Freeland stated, “Tackling systemic violence is our collective responsibility. On that requires us to change our attitudes, strengthen community support, ensure accountability for perpetrators and critically keep deadly weapons out of their hands” (Heidi & Andrea, 2020). He further argued that saying no to assault weapons is not a solution for avoiding these massive killing sprees. The citizens should support each other for changing collective attitudes. On the other hand, activists across the country are demanding the government to ban assault-style weapons. People should understand that these are not weapons that are committing crimes but the humans who are using them (Ivan & Meredith, 2020). Hence, people should promote community support and awareness for using firearms to avoid the deadly consequences of these in the future.
In conclusion, on April 18, 2020, Gabriel Wortman claimed 22 innocent lives in a thread of domestic abuse against his girlfriend. In 2013, Wortman neighbours Brenda Forbes and his husband reported against his violent acts. However, the police did not take any action against him. Activists are claiming that police have ignored all red flags and women’s voices, which resulted in a massive killing spree. There should be strict implementation of law enforcement against domestic violence in the country. Public authorities must alter their training method and give value to women’s voices. The research revealed that domestic abuse is the primary reason behind all massive killing sprees, so it should never be ignored. The ban on firearms and other assault-style weapons could not resolve the issue of domestic violence. People should corporate with each other and change their attitudes toward using firearms.
References:
Heidi, P., & Andrea, J. (2020). ‘I can’t go back’: Haunted by a mass shooting, a man who sheltered gunman’s girlfriend scared to go home. Retrieved June 8, 2020, from https://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/mobile/i-can-t-go-back-haunted-by-mass-shooting-man-who-sheltered-gunman-s-girlfriend-scared-to-go-home-1.4945493
Ivan, P., & Meredith, D. (2020). Nova Scotia shooting may have begun as a domestic violence dispute: Investigators. Retrieved June 8, 2020, from https://abcnews.go.com/International/death-toll-nova-scotia-shooting-rampage-increases-19/story?id=70251470
Sophia, A. (2020). Evidence mounts that Canada’s worst-ever mass shooter was a woman-hater, and misogyny fuelled his killing spree that left 22 dead. Retrieved June 8, 2020, from https://www.businessinsider.com/ex-neighbor-nova-scotia-gunman-said-she-reported-domestic-violence-2020-5
Stewart, B. (2020). Nova Scotia shooting: In 13 hours, a trail of victims, some known to the killer, some random. Retrieved June 8, 2020, from https://globalnews.ca/news/6862832/nova-scotia-shooting-how-it-happened/