Show Notes
The first sign from the outside that something was horribly wrong in Portapique, Nova Scotia, was rush of 911 calls around 10 p.m.
Saturday, April 18, 2020 was an otherwise quiet night across the province. Much of the world was deep into the COVID-19 pandemic, sheltering in place to stop the spread of the virus. But the tiny community of Portapique on the Bay of Fundy became a waking nightmare as 51-year-old Gabriel Wortman began shooting his neighbours, and lighting homes on fire.
When officers arrived on scene they were met by a car speeding out of the area. Inside, was a victim who would become a key witness.
But within an hour of the start of the rampage, Wortman had killed 13 people.
He had also escaped.
And police had no idea where he was.
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More from 13 Hours Inside the Nova Scotia Massacre
Since the dawn of time, humanity has been at war. Conflict in one form or another has been part of our existence since we first walked the earth.
The 13 Hours team brings you an update on what’s happened since the series wrapped in April. A local magazine has been publishing leaked information that some say may have come from a source inside the RCMP. That includes audio of 911 calls made by some of the first victims of the killing spree, who told dispatchers that a man driving a police car was murdering people in Portapique on the night of April 18, 2020.
In this final episode, the gunman is killed in a chance encounter with police at a gas station, ending 13 hours of horror in Nova Scotia.
Episode 12 begins with the story of the final hour of the killing spree, and the gunman’s final victim. A mysterious phone call alerted Gina Goulet’s daughter that something was wrong on the morning of April 19, 2020. In this episode, we explore how the families of the victims are fighting for transparency and accountability, nearly a year after the shootings happened. They’re planning to sue the gunman’s estate, the government and the RCMP. And the families were key to ensuring that government called a public inquiry into the killing spree. The inquiry will explore what happened and why, with a focus on the actions of the gunman and the police response. It will also consider the impact of gender-based violence and domestic violence, which experts say is key to understanding. We have much more on our website, including articles, maps, and photos: globalnews.ca/13hours Instagram: @13hourspodcast Email: [email protected] Twitter: @SarahRitchieTV; @alexandrakress Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This episode picks up the gunman’s movements through central Nova Scotia on the morning of April 19, 2020, as he drove toward Halifax. A chance encounter put him in the paths of two RCMP officers. Constables Chad Morrison and Heidi Stevenson were planning to meet on the side of the road near Shubenacadie, unaware the gunman was nearby. The gunman shot Chad, and then collided with Heidi’s car. He shot and killed her before murdering Joey Webber, who stopped to help. Then he stole Joey’s vehicle and drove away. In this episode, we learn about other shootings in recent years in which RCMP members have been killed. Experts say the force is slow to change, and question whether it’s time for provinces and municipalities to create their own police forces instead of contracting the RCMP. We have much more on our website, including articles, maps, and photos: globalnews.ca/13hours Instagram: @13hourspodcast Email: [email protected] Twitter: @SarahRitchieTV; @alexandrakress Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices