16 killed in deadliest massacre in Canadian history

A gunman, later identified as 51-year-old Gabriel Wortman, disguised himself as law enforcement and embarked on a shooting rampage from late Saturday, April 18 to Sunday in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia.

Wortman killed at least 16 people, including Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Constable Heidi Stevenson, a 23-year veteran of the force who was on the job and pursuing the suspect. The spree reportedly began in the town of Portapique on Saturday night and ended approximately 12 hours later in Enfield, north of Halifax.

Police did not comment on how the gunman died. However, leading up to his death, witnesses claim to have heard shots fired.

The mass shooting makes this what is believed to be the deadliest in Canadian history, surpassing the previous massacre in Montreal, Quebec in 1989 which left 14 dead.

In response to the incident, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau released a statement on Sunday, expressing his condolences: “Our hearts go out to the people who have lost loved ones, and to the RCMP family mourning a fallen officer. I also hope for a full recovery for the people who were injured, including one RCMP member who is in hospital being treated for non-life-threatening injuries.”