CANADA - shooter in RCMP vehicle & uniform, 22 killed (plus perp), Portapique, NS, 18 April 2020 #2

[BearCatSafari]

Lots of people are violent towards a spouse. That does not make them misogynists.

Not in all cases, no it doesn't. In this individual's case I would say his recurring abusive behaviour towards at least one partner could be categorized as misogynistic.

For example, he had jealous tendencies. That would suggest to me he had an unhealthy and territorial viewpoint towards his partner.

 

[otto]

Not in all cases, no it doesn't. In this individual's case I would say his recurring abusive behaviour towards at least one partner could be categorized as misogynistic.

For example, he had jealous tendencies. That would suggest to me he had an unhealthy and territorial viewpoint towards his partner.

There's so much more to this story. If we ignore most of the information, only look at female victims, then maybe someone could draw a line between the shooter and misogyny. We would also have to ignore the information about the woman who received free dentures a few years ago.

Looking at the big picture, knowing that victims include a former male hunting partner, the owner of a house that formerly belonged to his uncle, the two men who were near burning houses, it's impossible to put this mass murder into the category of "misogynist."

 

[MistyWaters]

It is a leap, but it would appear the rampage itself started with a targeted attack against his female partner.

The girlfriend is extremely fortunate to be alive.....and although the attack on her was obviously targeted, he left her alive giving her an opportunity to flee, unlike his other victims. I’m not sure what that indicates but in one sense it doesn’t quite support a misogynist motive. Maybe he mistakingly thought she was thoroughly submissive and brainwashed and she’d later assist in his escape or provide him an alibi but we probably will never know.

 

[BearCatSafari]

There's so much more to this story. If we ignore most of the information, only look at female victims, then maybe someone could draw a line between the shooter and misogyny. We would also have to ignore the information about the woman who received free dentures a few years ago.

Looking at the big picture, knowing that victims include a former male hunting partner, the owner of a house that formerly belonged to his uncle, the two men who were near burning houses, it's impossible to put this mass murder into the category of "misogynist."

I understand your point, but I respectfully disagree.

I wouldn't say the fact that men were or became targets of his innately disqualifies, for lack of a better term, some of his crimes/intent from being misogynistic.

For example the man who ran down and killed some people in Toronto two years ago killed some men, even though women were admittedly his target of choice. That does not disqualify his crime from being misogynistic.

No more than one can concretely say this killer's crimes were misogynistic because he killed some women.

All I'm saying is that his past history of domestic violence and given that his killing spree began with the beating of his female partner could potentially draw one to the conclusion that he had misogynistic tendencies.

No, killing a woman may not be inherently misogynistic. Repeated abuse of female partner(s) likely is.

Does it appear he chose his female victims simply because they were female. No. It was likely because he felt they had personally wronged him.

But I'm not going to fault someone if they consider his past behaviour and how his killing spree began and they see traits of misogyny there.

 

[ab01]

The information was released by police on Saturday night. Did the local news report it?

released via twitter.....seriously twitter I hope that's not what they are hanging their hat on. We released it on twitter and people and news organizations should have been aware. If that's where things are going, god help us all. We released it on twitter what more do you want us to do? Its out of our hands from there.......seriously?

 

[BearCatSafari]

The girlfriend is extremely fortunate to be alive.....and although the attack on her was obviously targeted, he left her alive giving her an opportunity to flee, unlike his other victims. I’m not sure what that indicates but in one sense it doesn’t quite support a misogynist motive. Maybe he mistakingly thought she was thoroughly submissive and brainwashed and she’d later assist in his escape or provide him an alibi but we probably will never know.

That could very well be. I would assume, due to the jealousy and beating, that his power dynamic with her was one of control. Perhaps part of exercising that control was sparing her. Or, as you say, choosing to spare her to use her aid later.

I agree we'll likely never know.

 

[ab01]

That could very well be. I would assume, due to the jealousy and beating, that his power dynamic with her was one of control. Perhaps part of exercising that control was sparing her. Or, as you say, choosing to spare her to use her aid later.

I agree we'll likely never know.

I don't think he spared her at all, I think he likely came back to tell her what she made him do, which in his twisted mind was kill their friends and neighbors and then he was going to ultimately kill her. I think when he came back he realized that she had escaped. JMO

 

[BearCatSafari]

I don't think he spared her at all, I think he likely came back to tell her what she made him do, which in his twisted mind was kill their friends and neighbors and then he was going to ultimately kill her. I think when he came back he realized that she had escaped. JMO

I can see that being part of the control dynamic of a sick individual. Abusers often blame the abused. "You made me do it," etc

 

[Marp]

IMO misogyny played a role in ***’s life but I wonder if this whole rampage was his reaction to COVID-19. It’s barely mentioned on this thread. His business would be shuttered, it seems like they decided to shelter at the cottage, they would be affected by social distancing even if they had gone to neighbours that night for a party. There would be days to stew about his dissatisfaction with life and his relationships. He flipped out. Roads deserted, everyone assuredly in their own homes. Perfect for a terrorizing rampage.

 

[otto]

IMO misogyny played a role in ***’s life but I wonder if this whole rampage was his reaction to COVID-19. It’s barely mentioned on this thread. His business would be shuttered, it seems like they decided to shelter at the cottage, they would be affected by social distancing even if they had gone to neighbours that night for a party. There would be days to stew about his dissatisfaction with life and his relationships. He flipped out. Roads deserted, everyone assuredly in their own homes. Perfect for a terrorizing rampage.

Spousal abuse has increased since the pandemic. It makes more sense to conclude that he was violent against his spouse because of covid-19, and that it also triggered a plan that he had put in place over many months and possibly years to kill acquaintances.

 

[Satchie]

released via twitter.....seriously twitter I hope that's not what they are hanging their hat on. We released it on twitter and people and news organizations should have been aware. If that's where things are going, god help us all. We released it on twitter what more do you want us to do? Its out of our hands from there.......seriously?

I don't understand what's so terrible about that. It allows people to know what's happening in practically real time, without having to wait for a news station to broadcast it, which is what we had before. Caring people spread the news by social media, phone calls, etc. Maybe that's what was missing, the news was out there, but nobody saw it as their responsibility to make sure other people they care about know.

There was a gunman loose in the small community where I live a few years before I came, I know for sure there was no emergency cell alert, it must have been people posting on facebook, neighbours warning each other, friends calling all their friends.

 

[paganini]

It's a bit of a leap to say that the man who checked out the first fire was killed because the shooter is a misogynist. There's no logical connection there.

I specifically did not say that those who came to help were killed because he is a misogynist.

 

[paganini]

Spousal abuse has increased since the pandemic. It makes more sense to conclude that he was violent against his spouse because of covid-19, and that it also triggered a plan that he had put in place over many months and possibly years to kill acquaintances.

If the violence against his spouse was "because of covid-19", how do you explain his violent and abusive behaviour prior to the lock down?

 

[paganini]

The girlfriend is extremely fortunate to be alive.....and although the attack on her was obviously targeted, he left her alive giving her an opportunity to flee, unlike his other victims. I’m not sure what that indicates but in one sense it doesn’t quite support a misogynist motive. Maybe he mistakingly thought she was thoroughly submissive and brainwashed and she’d later assist in his escape or provide him an alibi but we probably will never know.

Or, he maybe left her alive while he went out and murdered her friends. Or, perhaps she escaped after he beat her, and he went to the homes of people where he thought she might have hidden looking for her, and those are the places were people were killed and there homes burned. The others, such as Lisa McCully and the brother, were people who came out of their homes when they saw houses burning and so on.

 

[otto]

I specifically did not say that those who came to help were killed because he is a misogynist.

This was one event, one mass shooting. It was not one instance of spousal violence, or shooting some victims. This mass murder is not about women.

 

[paganini]

I think most MSM say she “emerged from the woods and called 911”. Thinking about what might have been running through her head, she may have fled through the woods when she escaped, not simply hid in place. If she had to call 911, presumably she wasn’t near the scene anymore or else she could just run out to them. And even if she had her phone with her she likely didn’t have service. Hence why she called after emerging from the woods. I read somewhere (that I can’t find anymore) that she called from a convenience store or gas station. I google mapped and the closest would have been a little over a 2 hour walk. That’s with a direct route, no injuries and knowing where you’re going and having enough visibility to navigate. If someone was running away from danger overnight, seems like that gas station might be a spot they would make it to by 6:30am. JMO

McLean's mag has an article in which they provide a transcript of the evidence the police gave in the Thursday press conference. The police reported this: "After 0630, at daybreak, a victim emerged from hiding after she called 911." Cell service is spotty in the area, apparently, and maybe she had to find a place from which the phone would work . . . Or, maybe we're assuming she was in the woods?

 

[otto]

"After 0630, at daybreak, a victim emerged from hiding after she called 911.

Our officers responded and it was at that time that, through a significant key witness, we confirmed more details about Gabriel Wortman. This included the fact that he was in possession of a fully marked and equipped replica vehicle and was wearing a police uniform. He was in possession of several firearms that included pistols and long guns.

At that time, we issued a BOLO (Be on the Look Out), a bulletin that included a description of the suspect and vehicle, to all police officers in Nova Scotia.

We maintained containment of the scene and continued to search for the suspect."​

Nova Scotia shootings: The RCMP’s step-by-step account of what happened (full transcript) - Macleans.ca

 

[BearCatSafari]

Spousal abuse has increased since the pandemic. It makes more sense to conclude that he was violent against his spouse because of covid-19, and that it also triggered a plan that he had put in place over many months and possibly years to kill acquaintances.

Did he not have a record of domestic violence from years ago as well?

I thought I read that in the first thread.

 

[otto]

Various crime scenes:

Nova Scotia shootings: The RCMP’s step-by-step account of what happened (full transcript) - Macleans.ca

 

[otto]

Did he not have a record of domestic violence from years ago as well?

I thought I read that in the first thread.

There was a linked article about a drunken attack on a 15 year old boy a long time ago. There was an article that said he was inappropriate with a girlfriend at a drunken party in 2004. That's all I've read.