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

[Kaley Smith]

I think the positive side to all this is that in 2020 as opposed to 2013, what Brenda Forbes reported would be more thoroughly investigated. I had a policewoman and policeman interview me just a couple of years ago about a guy right across the hall to me in my apartment. I know he was going through a custody battle with an ex. They asked things like Have you noticed anything unusual about his behaviour? Does he appear trustworthy? etc. I said he has a bad temper, argues with a neighbour and swore at him and threatened him, rants about his ex, told me he is on medication due to anxiety and depression, and I try to avoid him because I don't trust him. Also that I hoped he didn't own a gun. They wrote all this down in their notebooks. I was relieved when he suddenly moved out.

 

[deugirtni]

There is somewhat of a transcription of the recording, as well as the recording itself, and another article here:

https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappen...says-she-was-scared-to-death-of-him-1.5567781

 

[Oscarjackson12]

At around 7:00 in the recorded interview linked above, the woman talks about how GW came 'pounding' at her door one night, with his gf in tow, accusing this woman of spreading lies around town and to his gf that he was screwing around on the gf; the woman said to him, 'if the shoe fits, wear it'. She stated he then pushed his gf out the door and threatened the woman by telling her 'you're going to pay for this'. She said this was followed by a few instances of GW driving to her house, getting out of his car and just staring at her house for a half hour each time.

I'm not sure at which point all of the above occurred in relation to the other incidents she mentioned, but I would've thought that in itself might be reason enough to call police. And if she had, and since she had witnessed it first-hand, surely police would have had to follow it up with GW. And not to mention the stalking behaviour, which she said scared her. I guess I find it odd that apparently she did not report that incident?

She knew that if she reported it that it would have dangerously escalated things. They were wise to get the hell out of there. Other neighbours likely didn’t have that choice.

 

[deugirtni]

Is the bar to the left of the car .. where an old dental chair seems to be?

I don't think so.. maybe behind the car? jmo. Here are screenshots:

 

[deugirtni]

She knew that if she reported it that it would have dangerously escalated things. They were wise to get the hell out of there. Other neighbours likely didn’t have that choice.

She said they'd sold for less just to get out, but it took a year for them to sell their house.

So we put the house up for sale and it took over a year to sell it. We took a huge loss in it, because I just wanted to get out of there.

https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappen...says-she-was-scared-to-death-of-him-1.5567781

 

[LadyL]

Definitely looks like that would've been his shop.. looks like a 'man cave', and the front seems to be an overhead door. Lots of seating at his 'bar' for others to join him in his apparent alcoholism. imo.

where's the bar? I don't see a bar?
I also don't see an 'overhead door'?
I also don't see 'lots of seating' in fact I only see one chair, a dental chair or car seat??
are there more pictures than the two in this article?

Photo shows replica RCMP car inside Nova Scotia gunman’s home months before rampage

ETA: I saw the bar and overhead door pictures in another post ty

 

[newguy123]

The Forbes lived on Portapique Beach Road (source is Colcester County Permits 2013). I believe apart from the idiot's house, the only other place on that road to burn was the Zahl/Thomas house.

 

[1214SD]

Also, in case anyone didn't listen to the recorded interview, she and her husband moved at some point, and she said she regrets not having warned the purchasers of their home about GW, because they ended up being killed and the house burned down. She believes that house was burned down not because of the people who lived there at that time, but because of her. (I'm not sure which house the woman used to live in, but if true, that might help to explain why there may have seemed to be some people who didn't necessarily have issues with him? Ugh.)

Sequentially, the last straw happened in 2014. About a year after the shooter moved in (he arrived in Portapique in 2002), the first incident happened, when the common-law wife ran to Brenda Forbes house “up the road” to seek refuge/help. The next incident, which she did not witness, but was made aware of by the three male witnesses, one of whom sounds like it was the shooter’s uncle, happened in the summer of 2013. That’s when she called the police out and was informed there was little that they could do, even though she put the shooter’s relative, her friend, on speakerphone in front of the RCMP officers.

“[Forbes] said the assault was witnessed by one of GW’s relatives, who was a good friend of hers when he lived in Portapique, and who is now in a long-term care facility, following a stroke. Two other men also watched it happen.

“[Forbes] said she and her husband know what weapons Canadians are allowed to own with a Firearms Acquisition Certificate, and that they knew GW’s were not legal. So she told the RCMP that, and then in their presence, she called GW’s relative and put him on speakerphone so the Mounties could hear him:

So I called [the relative] and I said… “would you be willing to talk to the RCMP about what happened with [GW’s partner] and the illegal weapons that [the shooter] has?” And he said, “no way, because he’s already told me he’ll kill me, because he’s already told me that he’s killed people in the United States.”

And I said, “Okay … just chill. Just relax. Don’t worry about it.” I hung up and the RCMP basically said, “the only way that we can actually get the information on this and prove it … like for her being beaten and strangled and stuff like that. She has to say it.” And there’s no way that she would do that. Gabriel had her under his thumb. And I mean, literally. If her family came over, he would be right beside her. So she wouldn’t say anything to them about what happened at all.”

I imagine that is why, after he began stalking Forbes (she had let his common-law wife know that the shooter was bringing multiple women to his home while she worked at the denturist office in Dartmouth), that she may have been reluctant to call the police again. In the radio interview, Forbes said her greatest regret was not informing the people who purchased the house from her (293 PB Rd.) about their new neighbor down the road at 200 PB Rd. They were both killed and their house burned to the ground in the rampage.

 

[mcdonalds]

At around 7:00 in the recorded interview linked above, the woman talks about how GW came 'pounding' at her door one night, with his gf in tow, accusing this woman of spreading lies around town and to his gf that he was screwing around on the gf; the woman said to him, 'if the shoe fits, wear it'. She stated he then pushed his gf out the door and threatened the woman by telling her 'you're going to pay for this'. She said this was followed by a few instances of GW driving to her house, getting out of his car and just staring at her house for a half hour each time.

I'm not sure at which point all of the above occurred in relation to the other incidents she mentioned, but I would've thought that in itself might be reason enough to call police. And if she had, and since she had witnessed it first-hand, surely police would have had to follow it up with GW. And not to mention the stalking behaviour, which she said scared her. I guess I find it odd that apparently she did not report that incident?

What this audio interview does elude to is that GW definitely had a rage temper and even more so when alcohol was added. as I hear more about the gunman- i don't imagine that he took very kindly to women who were strong, independent,stood their ground and spoke their opinions or even showed the slightest disrespect of him.

From the audio clip- it doesn't say that she/they report any of the incidents directed towards her/them- stalking, intimidation, threatening behavior, altercations. There is no doubt that they and others directly witnessed things, heard things, had thing done to them. In and around the community - people would have talked.

 

[Kaley Smith]

I don't blame Forbes for being upset that the three male witnesses would not talk to police, nor that the e-mails of apology from former neighbours now don't cut it. When you don't have the courage to stand up for what's right, you have to deal with the consequences later, including feeling guilty if something terrible happens as a result of your silence.

 

[Sillybilly]

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[tayaway]

I don't blame Forbes for being upset that the three male witnesses would not talk to police, nor that the e-mails of apology from former neighbours now don't cut it. When you don't have the courage to stand up for what's right, you have to deal with the consequences later, including feeling guilty if something terrible happens as a result of your silence.

It appears that the neighborhood walked on eggshells around the murderer. Were they thinking of their own safety when they refused to talk to police?

 

[MistyWaters]

“If you tell them (LE) that he may have illegal weapons, should you not go and check it out?" she asked.”
Neighbour reported N.S. mass killer's domestic violence, weapons to police

Just a comment about this statement. What does this woman mean by “should you not go and check it out”? Police are not going to walk up to somebody’s door and ask if the occupant has illegal weapons and expect them to say “by golly, yes I do”. In order to “check it out”, police are required to obtain a search warrant from a Judge. The search warrant must indicate what is being searched for and where it’s to be found.
Can the police enter and search your home? - FREE Legal Information | Legal Line

The reality is if police were able to search people’s property only on the basis of a verbal complaint the occupant “may” have illegal weapons I shudder to imagine the future headlines alleging unauthorized police searches resulting in stress and fear incurred by the occupants.

Thankfully Canada is not a third-world country nor a Police State whereby police can barge into our homes just on a whim. But for some reason, many people still have the expectation police can take action on every complaint they receive and blame them when they don’t. Police don’t make their own laws, they must follow the procedure stipulated in Canadian law as set out by our government.

While I respect the fact this woman is obviously emotionally involved in this tragedy, it’s disturbing to me that she also appears to be unfairly directing public blame onto the Portapique community. IMO that’s like kicking them when they’re down.

 

[newguy123]

It must be awful to have experienced the idiot first hand and then see what unfolded, even from a distance. And to know your old home was targeted would inevitably make you think "That could have been me."
As for the community not believing her, I understand her anguish over that. What she described witnessing though is hard to believe unless you witness it. I have a larger issue with those men who witnessed this and were too afraid of him to back up what had been reported.

 

[MistyWaters]

It must be awful to have experienced the idiot first hand and then see what unfolded, even from a distance. And to know your old home was targeted would inevitably make you think "That could have been me."
As for the community not believing her, I understand her anguish over that. What she described witnessing though is hard to believe unless you witness it. I have a larger issue with those men who witnessed this and were too afraid of him to back up what had been reported.

I agree it must be an awful experience, just that some things are best left unsaid I think but sometimes people get excited when the media is interested in what they have to say....sort of that 15 minutes of fame thing. For example I can’t help but wonder how the family members of the people who bought her home 6 or so years ago, who truly are faced with the death of their loved ones, how it makes them feel to read media reports of “it could have been me” when it wasn’t. She didn’t perish in that home yet she sort of comes across as if it’s all about her and her brush with death in having once owned that home.

 

[deugirtni]

According to articles, the Zahls had only moved to Portapique next door to GW in 2017. The old neighbour in the interview moved away in 2014, so not sure if it was the Zahls who moved into her home? I suppose the woman could have rented her house out and then put it up for sale for a year before it sold?

The couple had moved to the Portapique area in 2017 to spend their retirement, family says. (Go Fund Me/Gena Lawson)
. . .
The couple retired in 2017 and moved to Nova Scotia.
. . .
The couple were supposed to be away on a European cruise, but had to cancel due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/winnipeg-woman-belived-victim-nova-scotia-shooting-1.5540679

 

[mcdonalds]

People in the community would have known very well the extent of the rage, his weapons, his neighborhood personality, stories of other acquaintances/business/family/associates and the run ins he had long before he went on his rampage. People talk.

There is definitely something there in the past relationships he held in the community of the Portapique. The Forbes audio clip eludes to this. The Blair son interview also eludes that there was some tensions with GW.

Just a hard time believing that GW was not known to police prior to April 18.

 

[deugirtni]

It appears that the neighborhood walked on eggshells around the murderer. Were they thinking of their own safety when they refused to talk to police?

I think this is why previously when discussion started being around GW being a misogynist as the explanation for this mass killing, it was debated by some. It seems that GW has historically been a bully to people in general, no matter if they were male, female, relatives, neighbours, or etc., and he wasn't all just talk. From different stories we have seen in the news, it seems clear that alcohol also played a part in his aggression over the years. I don't think anyone here was necessarily arguing that there was domestic violence also occurring against his female partner, perhaps which anger set him off on a rampage to include some who he perceived had impacted negatively upon his life. jmo.

 

[Oscarjackson12]

It appears that the neighborhood walked on eggshells around the murderer. Were they thinking of their own safety when they refused to talk to police?

yes they probably were. Even if he was successfully charged and that is doubtful because she would not cooperate it likely would have turned into a nightmare with him psychologically tormenting them like he was doing with the military neighbour. If the police were able to interrupt a beating on her after it took place they would have had more concrete evidence of photos etc. They could also have moved ahead with charging him without her wanting to charge. But the sentences are too short.

 

[1214SD]

According to articles, the Zahls had only moved to Portapique next door to GW in 2017. The old neighbour in the interview moved away in 2014, so not sure if it was the Zahls who moved into her home? I suppose the woman could have rented her house out and then put it up for sale for a year before it sold?

The couple had moved to the Portapique area in 2017 to spend their retirement, family says. (Go Fund Me/Gena Lawson)
. . .
The couple retired in 2017 and moved to Nova Scotia.
. . .
The couple were supposed to be away on a European cruise, but had to cancel due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/winnipeg-woman-belived-victim-nova-scotia-shooting-1.5540679

The Forbes’ put the 293 PB Rd. on the market in February of 2015, listing it for $350K (see Viewpoint Canada link below). That listing expired in December of 2015 (it was probably taken off the market for the Christmas holiday) and relisted in January of 2016. It did not sell until November of 2016, for a purchase price of $240K, $110K below what they were originally asking. It took them nearly two years to sell (during which time they probably moved to Halifax). That eventual desperation to sell would also indicate why Brenda Forbes would not tell the buyers (Zahl/Thomas) about their new next-door-neighbor, “the psychopath”. By 2017, the Forbes left Halifax for western Canada - and that move, too, seems to be inspired by their fear of the shooter.

https://www.viewpoint.ca/map/#eyJvdmVydmlldyI6eyJwcm9wZXJ0eSI6eyJwaWQiOiIyMDMzMDY1MCIsImNsYXNzX2lkIjoiMSJ9fSwic3VtbWFyeSI6eyJwcm9wZXJ0eSI6eyJwaWQiOiIyMDMzMDY1MCIsImNsYXNzX2lkIjoiMSJ9fX0=