A gunman causes a bloodbath in eastern Canada. He kills at least 19 people, the police fear even more victims. Behind the investigators lies a twelve-hour hunt for criminals - and a lot of work ahead of them.
Ottawa - horror in the small rural province of Nova Scotia in eastern Canada : The tranquil region on the Atlantic coast became the scene of an act of violence with at least 19 deaths at the weekend. "We are a country that is fighting a pandemic together to save lives and help each other have a better day," Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Monday. "But yesterday we were all pulled out of this joint effort by the senseless violence and tragedy in Nova Scotia."
Killing spree in Canada: More victims feared
The full extent of the alleged killing of a 51-year-old suspect is not yet in sight, and more victims are feared, the investigators said. 18 victims and the dead gunman were confirmed on Monday, but police officer Chris Leather also said at a press conference that there were "more than 19 deaths".
The incident would be one of the worst such acts of violence in the country's history. Among the victims is a policewoman with 23 years of service. “Two children lost their mother. A husband has lost his wife. Parents have lost their daughter and countless others have lost a fantastic friend and colleague, ”said deputy chief of police Lee Bergerman.
Killing spree in Canada: perpetrators
Chancellor Angela Merkel was dismayed by the killing spree . “This senseless and cruel act of violence shakes us all deeply. Our thoughts are with the victims, their families and friends, ”says a condolence telegram to their Canadian colleague Trudeau. The Chancellor wished the injured a speedy recovery.
The 51-year-old perpetrator was put on Sunday afternoon by the police after a long chase at a gas station in Enfield. He was killed, police officer Leather said. The investigation into this “tragic incident” was at an early stage. In one fell swoop, the lives of many families and victims have changed forever.
To those who lost loved ones following the senseless violence in Nova Scotia, and to the @RCMPNS family mourning the loss of Cst. Heidi Stevenson, know Canadians across the country are mourning with you - and are here to support you through this tragedy. https://t.co/J6TM2od0Le
- Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) April 19, 2020Canada: Motive for shooting amok still unknown
Visibly concerned, he spoke of a "chaotic" scene that the police had to offer. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police received an emergency call for evidence of an armed attacker in the village of Portapique, some 130 kilometers north of the provincial capital, Halifax. In a house and on the surrounding property they had discovered several bodies - no trace of the perpetrator. This led to a 12-hour hunt for criminals through Nova Scotia. Victims were found at several crime scenes in the Atlantic province. In some places, fires were set on property. According to Radio Canada, the chase stretched over 100 kilometers.
The investigators initially did not provide any information on the shooter's motive. According to Leather, there are many indications that the suspect was planning the bloodbath, killing people he did not know. Canada's chief of police, Brenda Lucki, said the assassin may have had a motive initially, but then it turned into "randomness." "Our investigations will show that. We don't know for sure and we will have to do a lot of work to find out his motive. ”
Killing spree in Canada: the perpetrator disguised himself as a police officer
Eyewitnesses reported howling sirens, shots and other moments of horror. The police asked residents to stay in their homes and lock the doors. The authority warned of a shooter who might be wearing police uniform and was traveling with a vehicle that looked like a patrol car. Leather later confirmed that the man had actually tried to disguise himself as a police officer. According to Radio Canada, the man used several cars to escape, including a police vehicle.
Unlike in the neighboring country USA, the gun laws in Canada are comparatively strict. The bloodiest rampage in Canada had occurred in 1989 when 25-year-old Marc Lepine shot 14 women at a college in Montreal and injured 13 more before taking his own life. In a letter, he mentioned his hatred of feminists as the motive.
dpa
Rubric list picture: © Tim Krochak / dpa