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

[MistyWaters]

within the article:
"April 18

Some time before 10 p.m. — Gabriel Wortman, 51, assaults his girlfriend in the Portapique area. A 911 call comes in about an assault between him and someone he knows. She escapes into the woods where she hides overnight.

Portapique is a small, wooded community along the Bay of Fundy roughly 40 kilometres west of the town of Truro. About 100 residents live there year-round."

This is an example of poor, vague, confusing reporting IMO. If CBC is aware of a 911 call was made by the girlfriend, why the obscure reference to “between him and someone he knows”? The way it’s written it could be “him” who called 911. Anyone with knowledge a 911 call had been made would know the exact time, not “some time before 10pm”.

What is their source as the RCMP haven’t mentioned it and it’s not being reported by other MSM that I’ve noticed. A wild guess, it looks like CBC might’ve misconstrued a 911 call being made regarding the assault, but that’s not what Supt Campbell said. He stated the assault between the gunman and “a person known to him” occurred before the first call, which was the 911 call reporting the shooting.

Apr 24/2020 Press Conference - BBM
https://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/en/news/2020/speaking-remarks-supt-darren-campbell
“...What we learned as part of the investigation is that on April 18 before the first call came in there was an assault between the gunman and a person known to him in Portapique.

What we learned as part of the investigation is that on April 18 before the first call came in there was an assault between the gunman and a person known to him in Portapique.

The victim managed to escape from the gunman and hid overnight in the woods.

Following this, police received the first call to 911 with a report of a shooting at a home in Portapique.

Officers arrived at 10:26 p.m. where they located a male leaving the area with an apparent gunshot wound.”.....”

 

[tayaway]

This is an example of poor, vague, confusing reporting IMO. If CBC is aware of a 911 call was made by the girlfriend, why the obscure reference to “between him and someone he knows”? The way it’s written it could be “him” who called 911. Anyone with knowledge a 911 call had been made would know the exact time, not “some time before 10pm”.

What is their source as the RCMP haven’t mentioned it and it’s not being reported by other MSM that I’ve noticed. A wild guess, it looks like CBC might’ve misconstrued a 911 call being made regarding the assault, but that’s not what Supt Campbell said. He stated the assault between the gunman and “a person known to him” occurred before the first call, which was the 911 call reporting the shooting.

Apr 24/2020 Press Conference - BBM
Speaking remarks: Supt. Darren Campbell | Royal Canadian Mounted Police
“...What we learned as part of the investigation is that on April 18 before the first call came in there was an assault between the gunman and a person known to him in Portapique.

What we learned as part of the investigation is that on April 18 before the first call came in there was an assault between the gunman and a person known to him in Portapique.

The victim managed to escape from the gunman and hid overnight in the woods.

Following this, police received the first call to 911 with a report of a shooting at a home in Portapique.

Officers arrived at 10:26 p.m. where they located a male leaving the area with an apparent gunshot wound.”.....”

We didn't even know there was a domestic assault until how many days later? I honestly did not think there was a 911 call for it either. It's a jumbled mess.

 

[Alethea]

Ok, got it. There's an earlier 911 call before 10 and it's implied that it has to do with the domestic assault. My apologies! The argument, the assault, and returning to shoot people all happened before the 10:01 911 call. Did the police respond to the 911 call that occurred before 10?

If there really was a party/gathering, perhaps GW was being abusive or threatening towards his partner at the party itself and one of the partygoers called concerned he was going to hurt her? The timeline is not clear to me either and it seems weird to say an assault but not who called it in. And if she called it in then, why wouldn't LE come to investigate and not leave until they made positive contact with the caller?

 

[ab01]

If there really was a party/gathering, perhaps GW was being abusive or threatening towards his partner at the party itself and one of the partygoers called concerned he was going to hurt her? The timeline is not clear to me either and it seems weird to say an assault but not who called it in. And if she called it in then, why wouldn't LE come to investigate and not leave until they made positive contact with the caller?

Something to keep in mind do we know for certain that they didn’t come to investigate? It could be by the time they arrived other 911 calls had been made and things had progressed. It may even be likely that once they had arrived that his partner/gf home might have already been engulfed. It could be that when they failed to locate her they assumed she had perished in the fire jmo

 

[Alethea]

Something to keep in mind do we know for certain that they didn’t come to investigate? It could be by the time they arrived other 911 calls had been made and things had progressed. It may even be likely that once they had arrived that his partner/gf home might have already been engulfed. It could be that when they failed to locate her they assumed she had perished in the fire jmo

Definitely possible. Before 10 just seems so early for all he did! Hopefully they will be able to tell chemically through their forensic investigation if accelerates were used and how everything became so engulfed so quickly.

 

[MistyWaters]

Interesting to contemplate, if an alert had been issued regarding this or any other incident involving a crazed killer wearing a RCMP uniform and driving a police cruiser which easily passed for the real thing - how many 911 calls would police receive over possible sightings?

“To complicate matters, Rozdilsky said police were dealing with a killer wreaking chaos and carnage across 16 crime scenes, all the while dressed as an RCMP officer and driving a mock-up cruiser.

Sending a provincewide alert about this disguise could have backed up 911 lines with false reports of suspect sightings as police swarmed the streets to hunt him down, said Rozdilsky. There was also the potential for "blue-on-blue" violence if officers mistook a colleague for the killer.

Grieving families have every right to question what could have been done to avert such unfathomable loss, said Rozdilsky, and authorities owe them answers.

But with so many unknowns, Rozdilsky said he's reserving judgment until we get a fuller picture of how these horrific events unfolded.”
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova...mergency-alerts-portapique-shooting-1.5553979

 

[ab01]

Interesting to contemplate, if an alert had been issued regarding this or any other incident involving a crazed killer wearing a RCMP uniform and driving a police cruiser which easily passed for the real thing - how many 911 calls would police receive over possible sightings?

“To complicate matters, Rozdilsky said police were dealing with a killer wreaking chaos and carnage across 16 crime scenes, all the while dressed as an RCMP officer and driving a mock-up cruiser.

Sending a provincewide alert about this disguise could have backed up 911 lines with false reports of suspect sightings as police swarmed the streets to hunt him down, said Rozdilsky. There was also the potential for "blue-on-blue" violence if officers mistook a colleague for the killer.

Grieving families have every right to question what could have been done to avert such unfathomable loss, said Rozdilsky, and authorities owe them answers.

But with so many unknowns, Rozdilsky said he's reserving judgment until we get a fuller picture of how these horrific events unfolded.”
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova...mergency-alerts-portapique-shooting-1.5553979

I get this and I understand the line of thinking.

But how do they justify releasing it on social media then? Are they willing to claim that was a mistake as well?

You can't have it both ways IMO

 

[mcdonalds]

Interesting to contemplate, if an alert had been issued regarding this or any other incident involving a crazed killer wearing a RCMP uniform and driving a police cruiser which easily passed for the real thing - how many 911 calls would police receive over possible sightings?

“To complicate matters, Rozdilsky said police were dealing with a killer wreaking chaos and carnage across 16 crime scenes, all the while dressed as an RCMP officer and driving a mock-up cruiser.

Sending a provincewide alert about this disguise could have backed up 911 lines with false reports of suspect sightings as police swarmed the streets to hunt him down, said Rozdilsky. There was also the potential for "blue-on-blue" violence if officers mistook a colleague for the killer.

Grieving families have every right to question what could have been done to avert such unfathomable loss, said Rozdilsky, and authorities owe them answers.

But with so many unknowns, Rozdilsky said he's reserving judgment until we get a fuller picture of how these horrific events unfolded.”
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova...mergency-alerts-portapique-shooting-1.5553979

Was there not already "blue on blue" at the Onslow fire hall shortly after it became known he was impersonating an officer? I cannot imagine what it would have been like to be on the roster that day- you would be second guessing every one. I imagine that members of the public would not have been able to identify the subtleties in the vehicle- by the time one would realize he wasn't real- the damage would have been done. We see that when he was able to dupe a seasoned Cnst who didn't realize until he was face to face and shot. An alert would have created such chaos and havoc to 911 and had police chasing police- removing the focus on actually finding the shooter. The group that started the phone tree.. maybe that's what police were hoping would happen with the twitter posts... an informal relay/text/SM etc to get the message out to warn people?

 

[MistyWaters]

Was there not already "blue on blue" at the Onslow fire hall shortly after it became known he was impersonating an officer? I cannot imagine what it would have been like to be on the roster that day- you would be second guessing every one. I imagine that members of the public would not have been able to identify the subtleties in the vehicle- by the time one would realize he wasn't real- the damage would have been done. We see that when he was able to dupe a seasoned Cnst who didn't realize until he was face to face and shot. An alert would have created such chaos and havoc to 911 and had police chasing police- removing the focus on actually finding the shooter. The group that started the phone tree.. maybe that's what police were hoping would happen with the twitter posts... an informal relay/text/SM etc to get the message out to warn people?

Yes you’re right, there was blue-on-blue and thankfully no one was hurt in that incident. It was mentioned officers were pulled in from a multitude of detachments and the challenges of directing communication between them all must’ve been a chaotic nightmare as 911 calls were coming in, given the killer was also moving quickly.

The more I think about it, Const Stevenson was truly the heroine, sadly it cost her life. According to reports she was in radio contact with Const Morrison so she would’ve already known it was the same person who shot him that was coming her way, even if it was not certain this was the one and only killer connected to the other crime scenes.

The crash destructed the fake cruiser and although we may never know if she created the crash, she didn’t avoid it so I think she must’ve known getting that fake cruiser off the road was crucially essential. Unfortunately the passerby, Joey Webber, did what good samaritans do, stop by to assist (and something probably far more common in Nova Scotia than other provinces). But I don’t think GW ever intended to smash up his fake cruiser as it was his ticket to causing far greater pandemonium amongst the RCMP while enabling him to seek out even more victims.

But when I think of brave officers like Const Stevenson and all the others who risked their own lives in putting an end to this cold-blooded lunatic on a rampage who so unmercifully took the lives of innocent people I can’t help but wonder, do the officers read critical comments in the media or on SM? Written by people who probably risk their lives at most by crossing the street on a red light. I hope not because their bravery often goes unappreciated in the face of criticism. ...... just my thoughts.

 

[MistyWaters]

I get this and I understand the line of thinking.

But how do they justify releasing it on social media then? Are they willing to claim that was a mistake as well?

You can't have it both ways IMO

Well one difference I can think of....The photo of both the fake cruiser and the suspect was included in the twitter posts whereas a cellphone alert is script only.

 

[newguy123]

MistyWaters wrote I hope not because their bravery often goes unappreciated in the face of criticism. I couldn't agree more.
I cannot imagine responding to the initial 911 call and then finding bodies, more bodies, a house on fire, and another, and another....all scattered about a "quiet" community, then encountering a shooting victim who says it looked like police had shot him.....and it is dark with lots of shadows, multiple crime scenes with explosions going off,and you are now tasked with bringing order out of chaos. Imagine what was going thru their minds as they received updates that children were hiding from the shooter and were on the phone with 911 scared for their lives. As your mind races to sort all this out, your fire dept. and ambulance personal are waiting anxiously for clearance to do what they trained to do.....all this on hold because of a shooter.
I know it is easy to criticise, but by and large, it is a good thing that when stuff like this goes down, it was the RCMP who responded and not the armchair advisors.

 

[Marp]

This is an example of poor, vague, confusing reporting IMO. If CBC is aware of a 911 call was made by the girlfriend, why the obscure reference to “between him and someone he knows”? The way it’s written it could be “him” who called 911. Anyone with knowledge a 911 call had been made would know the exact time, not “some time before 10pm”.

What is their source as the RCMP haven’t mentioned it and it’s not being reported by other MSM that I’ve noticed. A wild guess, it looks like CBC might’ve misconstrued a 911 call being made regarding the assault, but that’s not what Supt Campbell said. He stated the assault between the gunman and “a person known to him” occurred before the first call, which was the 911 call reporting the shooting.

Apr 24/2020 Press Conference - BBM
Speaking remarks: Supt. Darren Campbell | Royal Canadian Mounted Police
“...What we learned as part of the investigation is that on April 18 before the first call came in there was an assault between the gunman and a person known to him in Portapique.

What we learned as part of the investigation is that on April 18 before the first call came in there was an assault between the gunman and a person known to him in Portapique.

The victim managed to escape from the gunman and hid overnight in the woods.

Following this, police received the first call to 911 with a report of a shooting at a home in Portapique.

Officers arrived at 10:26 p.m. where they located a male leaving the area with an apparent gunshot wound.”.....”

. I agree “poor, vague, and confusing reporting.”
I have followed this thread since the beginning and am still looking for witness confirmation of the “party”. MSM occasionally talk (less so now) about this “party” but no one confirms from a named witness that this party took place. Who was at this party? Are they all dead? Why is this description of a “Party” s0 similar to the description from several sources of a party that took place several years ago when *** allegedly removed the tires from the back of his gf’s car? “Hudson recalled a bonfire party about 10 years ago when an argument between the two left the woman locked out of their home in Portapique.” In the RCMP PCs the incident begins with an assault (reported by the gf the next morning). There are named witnesses to a party 10 years ago but I can’t find any named or unnamed witnesses to a party on the night the rampage began. IMO If there was no party but just a fight between he and his gf then he had plenty of time to accomplish three fires and several murders before the police were alerted. Mass killing in Nova Scotia possibly triggered by assault on girlfriend: RCMP - OttawaMatters.com

And while I’m at it, from the aerial view the building at 135 Orchard Beach Drive which was burned down looks like a workspace rather than a cottage/living space even though we’re told it was where he lived. Whereas his property at 200 Portapique Beach Rd looks more like a residence. IMO

 

[Scoobydo2]

. I agree “poor, vague, and confusing reporting.”
I have followed this thread since the beginning and am still looking for witness confirmation of the “party”. MSM occasionally talk (less so now) about this “party” but no one confirms from a named witness that this party took place. Who was at this party? Are they all dead? Why is this description of a “Party” s0 similar to the description from several sources of a party that took place several years ago when *** allegedly removed the tires from the back of his gf’s car? “Hudson recalled a bonfire party about 10 years ago when an argument between the two left the woman locked out of their home in Portapique.” In the RCMP PCs the incident begins with an assault (reported by the gf the next morning). There are named witnesses to a party 10 years ago but I can’t find any named or unnamed witnesses to a party on the night the rampage began. IMO If there was no party but just a fight between he and his gf then he had plenty of time to accomplish three fires and several murders before the police were alerted. Mass killing in Nova Scotia possibly triggered by assault on girlfriend: RCMP - OttawaMatters.com

And while I’m at it, from the aerial view the building at 135 Orchard Beach Drive which was burned down looks like a workspace rather than a cottage/living space even though we’re told it was where he lived. Whereas his property at 200 Portapique Beach Rd looks more like a residence. IMO

I think there are not many witnesses talking about the"party" because everyone was supposed to be social distancing. People have posted in this thread that it may have been a "bbq". This may imply that it was an earlier get-together rather than a "party" which would usually start later. It is also likely, IMO, that some of the other victims were there at the gathering. In Nova Scotia, often a gathering like that would be an open house, with people coming and going at different times. Maybe the other victims were there, and witnessed something bad happen between *** and his GF, and had already gone back to their own homes by the time he came back in a rage?
Greg Blair's son said on MSM that *** had a workshop across the road from his family's home with a path through the woods to his residence. That means 135 Orchard Beach Drive is the workshop and 200 Portapique Beach Rd. is the residence.
It has not been stated where the gathering took place but I picture it to be the Blair residence for a few reasons. It was said by the RCMP that the shooter returned to the gathering after assaulting and restraining his GF. That first scene is on Orchard Beach Rd. across from his workshop. So this is either the Blair's or Lisa McCully's house. But the Blair children escape to go and hide with Lisa McCully's kids in her basement so it seems as though the scene next door is worse. Also, Lisa sends her last text to her sister from the beach, drinking red wine by the ocean a little while before the tragedy, so it doesn't seem like she was hosting a bbq at her house.

 

[paganini]

I think there are not many witnesses talking about the"party" because everyone was supposed to be social distancing. People have posted in this thread that it may have been a "bbq". This may imply that it was an earlier get-together rather than a "party" which would usually start later. It is also likely, IMO, that some of the other victims were there at the gathering. In Nova Scotia, often a gathering like that would be an open house, with people coming and going at different times. Maybe the other victims were there, and witnessed something bad happen between *** and his GF, and had already gone back to their own homes by the time he came back in a rage?
Greg Blair's son said on MSM that *** had a workshop across the road from his family's home with a path through the woods to his residence. That means 135 Orchard Beach Drive is the workshop and 200 Portapique Beach Rd. is the residence.
It has not been stated where the gathering took place but I picture it to be the Blair residence for a few reasons. It was said by the RCMP that the shooter returned to the gathering after assaulting and restraining his GF. That first scene is on Orchard Beach Rd. across from his workshop. So this is either the Blair's or Lisa McCully's house. But the Blair children escape to go and hide with Lisa McCully's kids in her basement so it seems as though the scene next door is worse. Also, Lisa sends her last text to her sister from the beach, drinking red wine by the ocean a little while before the tragedy, so it doesn't seem like she was hosting a bbq at her house.

The McCully residence is 135, across the road from one of the killer's property at 135 (Orchard). 135 was burned down. Blair (123) was next door to McCully's. I suppose a path through the woods could lead to a gw property at 200 Portapique Road. I'm attaching map, but not sure if that's okay ... I've read the gathering was at Blair's.

 

[Marp]

Thank you scoobydo and Paganini. Very helpful posts. Nova Scotia map, Canada / satellite

 

[mcdonalds]

The McCully residence is 135, across the road from one of the killer's property at 135 (Orchard). 135 was burned down. Blair (123) was next door to McCully's. I suppose a path through the woods could lead to a gw property at 200 Portapique Road. I'm attaching map, but not sure if that's okay ... I've read the gathering was at Blair's.

Simply speculation/theoretical/wondering on my part until the police release more details regarding the "party" and events as told by the girlfriend....

Tyler Blair has stated that Blair's two boys heard the gunman yelling and that Greg Blair left the house and was then shot. Jamie ran upstairs with the boys who hid under the bed. The gunman killed Jamie in the bedroom and that the gunman set fire to the house before leaving - while the boys were still inside. He stated that they boys hid in the house until he was gone and then they took off to the neighbors (McCully) house and hid inside with those two little kids. TB makes no reference to a party.

McCully reports stated she heard commotion, told her kids to go to the basement and was shot upon leaving her house. There was a reference from her sister that she was in her yard drinking wine a few moments before- again no reference to a party. This indicates to me these 2 residents were in their own homes with their own children.

So, is it possible the Blair's simply had witnessed something between the gunman and girlfriend-perhaps this is the time frame when the girlfriend was able to escaped and was running from the gunman? was the gunman in pursuit of the girlfriend and Greg simply intervened on the path? Is it possible that upon Greg being shot- it was actually Jamie/McCully that made the first 911 call about the shots fired?

 

[MistyWaters]

Early reports also had LM outside attempting to help a neighbour who’s house was on fire, no mention of her attending a party.

“He had a home at 136 Orchard Beach Dr., according to a Halifax Chronicle-Herald report on Wortman’s financial dealings.

As well, he was previously involved with a property across the street: 135 Orchard Beach Dr. That home belonged to Lisa McCully, a 49-year-old teacher at Debert Elementary School. She rushed her two young children to the basement and went to help a neighbour whose house was on fire, her sister, Jenny Kierstead, told CBC.

McCully was killed in the rampage...”
https://nationalpost.com/news/a-lon...rampaging-gunman-terrorized-rural-nova-scotia

 

[Marp]

Just sleuthing around here and
As McDonalds suggests above we’ll have to wait to see if the RCMP releases more information from gf’s testimony. In the meantime I’ve Continued to look for MSM reporting of the party. Any articles I’ve found credit Global News as the “party” reporting source.


https://globalnews.ca/news/6858994/nova-scotia-shootings-gunman-attacked-girlfriend

The presenter begins by saying (IMO in a rather salacious and tabloid way) that they have “exclusive new information” and then the reporter who is based in Ottawa, not the Maritimes, says “Here’s what we know. The shooter and his girlfriend were at a party...”
In the written version below the news clip it says
“Investigators believe Wortman and his girlfriend were at a party”. “Believe” not “know”.

But again the only further MSM references to this party quote Global News and not the RCMP or a named source.

Then back to my obsession with the house/cottage. I re-found this early article in which Mrs Hudson, a neighbour, is interviewed. Later articles on this thread have quoted her husband re: the fight at the bonfire and car tires being removed. (Man *** had a lot of energy.)

From her description and looking at the aerial view the log home showpiece is likely 200 Portapique Beach. 136 Orchard Beach surrounded by a gravel parking lot doesn’t look like a showpiece from the air but 200 looks quite massive.

“She said he started renovating the log home around 2002 and built additions aimed at making the home a showpiece.

"He made it more of his home in the last couple of years," she said, adding that he enjoyed showing off his property. "He was semi-retired ... and the guy was very proud of his work."

Canadian Press report:

https://www.nsnews.com/many-who-knew-n-s-gunman-struggle-to-come-to-terms-with-killing-rampage-1.24121182

 

[mcdonalds]

@paganini - great map!

the police state 13 people are deceased in the area- (C Ellison is included) and 1 wounded male by gunshot

do we know where the Ellison house might be locate or where CE was located on the roadway? If they heard a single gun shot and saw flames and walked over to look. I believe his brother stated that he located CE deceased on the road and ran up a hill into the woods to hide and was later giving an interview when he was returning to the area to get his car. (me just looking for a map frame of reference here)

Theory: if i was a neighbor and saw flames-would I go towards the fire to help/see/watch? LM did, CE did- so certainly conceivable that other residence did. That could account for the reports that he returned to a "party"- most likely Blair residence- I thought the police said 8 people were located at that residence in side and outside the home? perfectly conceivable that people actually ran towards the fire to help and were shot and there was in fact no "party" happening at the time as @Marp questioned earlier.

Theory: if property #200 and property #287 are registered to the gunman ... didn't the police state in the April 28 question period that the girlfriend was the gunman's neighbor? if property #293 was torched- is it possible the gunman was worried that the neighbors might actually speak about what they know and may have seen of the domestic violence, arguments, police cruisers?

 

[mcdonalds]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova...ass-shooting-brother-clinton-hiding-1.5541082