At least twenty-two lay dead, including a member of Canada’s RCMP, after an hours-long active shooter event in the Province of Nova Scotia on the weekend. The terrorist shooting started with the slaying of the shooter’s ex-girlfriend and her partner, followed by a rampage with firearms in a police car and uniform over multiple crime scenes – leading to serious questions about the ideological orientation of the shooter, and whether the shooting was yet another propaganda-fueled case of white male rage.
New dimensions of terrorism: tracking right-wing inspired lone wolves
“The lone wolf has perverted the positive aspects of the individual person and converted these into a terrifying form of irreparable damage.” https://t.co/kvq2QFi4fN
— Javier #CapitalismKills Ⓐ (@intlibecosoc) April 2, 2020
After multiple 911 calls regarding a firearms incident in the community of Portapique on Saturday night, officers located several victims at the shooter’s residence, but there was initially no sign of the shooter.
The terrorist suspect, identified by RCMP as denturist Gabriel Wortman, was located and killed in the early morning hours Sunday by police. RCMP indicated that Wortman wore an RCMP uniform during the rampage, and may have been driving a vehicle made to look like an RCMP car, but Wortman was not a police officer. Atlantic Canadian publication Frank Magazine reported an antagonistic relationship between Wortman and police last month – we note that Frank is a satirical publication, but the information at the link, while written in satirical style, appears to be accurate.
Gabe Wortman is a well-known Dartmouth denturist. He owns Atlantic Denture Clinic at 193 Portland St.
Frank had a story a couple of months ago that suggests he has a rather antagonistic attitude toward police. https://t.co/riahi1dlbP— Frank Magazine Atlantic (@Frank_Mag) April 19, 2020
Anti-authority rhetoric and anti-police discussions have increased across Canada in right-wing groups in recent weeks, as the government has taken lockdown measures in response to the COVID-19 crisis. Wortman, a wealthy denturist who owned numerous properties, is reported to have flown an American flag at his residence and had a lifelong obsession with firearms, He also exploited at least one family member for his house in a disturbing and calculated manner, seeking to steal the residence from his relative through a calculated capitalist maneuver.
Deaths may have occurred at multiple locations and total at least 22 as of Tuesday evening. 23-year veteran RCMP Constable Heidi Stevenson is among the dead, as are two nurses, a school teacher, and other community members targeted in the rampage.
She played rugby against my sister in Nova Scotia where everyone is salt of the earth and connected. She was a mom. She was an incredible officer. She is Heidi Stevenson. Pray for her family.💔 pic.twitter.com/Z7g3Wo2HzP
— Angie Poirier (@AngiePoirier) April 19, 2020
Domestic Terrorism Points to Need for Stronger Government Measures
This is by no means the first act of domestic terrorism in Canada. In Quebec, a right-wing terrorist killed six Muslims peacefully praying at a mosque in 2017. Anti-woman terrorist Alek Minassian killed ten in Toronto in 2018, following anti-feminist shooter Mark Lepine at the Ecole Polytechnique who killed fourteen in 1989. In 2012, security guard Travis Baumgartner shot four of his co-workers leaving three dead, although Baumgartner may have been motivated more by money than by radical sentiments.
The Maritimes are no stranger to domestic terrorism. Anti-Islamic terrorist Matthew Raymond killed four, including two police officers, at an apartment complex in 2018. Anti-government terrorist Justin Borque killed three RCMP officers and severely wounded two more in 2014 in an anti-police attack.
I am tired of hearing the word “terrorist” not being used when the suspect in a terrorist attack is a non-Muslim. I am tired of the “mentally disabled” excuse being recycled when the suspect in a terrorist attack is a Caucasian.
— Hakim Tai (@hakimtai295) April 16, 2020
With chronic pro-gun, anti-Islamic, anti-woman, and anti-government propaganda streaming into Canada from the United States, experts are concerned that more attacks by domestic terrorists could occur. Increased gun control measures, including a return to a broad-based registry of all firearms, far greater restrictions on semi-automatic weapons, high-powered weapons, and handguns could prevent this type of serious tragedy from recurring. Many Canadians were pleased to hear that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Public Safety Minister Bill Blair had announced plans for increased firearms safety measures to keep Canadian police and Canadian citizens safe.
Public Safety Minister Bill Blair said he wants to bring in new legislation as quickly as possible. #GunControl #NovaScotiaStrong #Canada https://t.co/wuFsll7I3m
— CoalitionforGunControl (@CGCguncontrol) April 21, 2020
Additionally, better government monitoring of potential domestic terrorists, with a special view to those expressing white male rage, have been called for by some public safety experts. These measures are noted as being particularly important for those who express anti-feminist, anti-government, or anti-Islamic ideals, as bringing rhetoric from these groups under control may help identify and stem future attacks.
– Editor’s Note – This story has been updated with an increased death count from the terrorist shooting and with new details about the terrorist’s background and related developments.
From Nova Scotia: Thanks for this story. It captures more of the reality than other corporate news outlets. I just wonder about your quote of Frank Magazine — first that magazine is racist, misogynist, and homophobic. It has little credibility beyond Nova Scotians who support Trump. Second, the citation appears increasingly to be wrong.