Canadians were in mourning on Monday after a gunman went on the rampage leaving at least 18 people dead in rural communities across Nova Scotia.
The man, disguised as a police officer opened fire on people hunkered down in their homes, setting houses ablaze in the deadliest mass shooting in the country’s history.
Officials said the suspect, identified as 51-year-old Gabriel Wortman, also died in the weekend attack.
Police did not provide a motive for the killings.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police Chief Superintendent Chris Leather told a news conference Monday that police expect to find more victims once they are able to comb through all the crime scenes, some of which were left in smoldering ruins.
Leather said police teams were spread out at 16 crime scenes in central and northern Nova Scotia. He said some of the victims knew Wortman.
The dead included a policewoman. Another officer was wounded by gunfire and was recovering at home, Leather said.
The 12-hour rampage began late Saturday in the rural town of Portapique, about 60 miles (100 kilometers) north of Halifax, where police told residents overnight to lock their doors and stay in their basements.
The town, like all of Canada, had been adhering to government advice to remain at home because of the coronavirus pandemic and most of the victims were inside their homes when the attack began.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said, “the pandemic will prevent us from mourning together in person, but a vigil will be held virtually to celebrate the lives of the victims,” adding that it would take place Friday night through a Facebook group.
AP
