13 Hours Inside the Nova Scotia Massacre

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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On Saturday, April 18, 2020 communities everywhere were on lock down to stop the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the quiet, coastal town of Portapique, Nova Scotia, Canada.

But a 51-year-old denturist with a violent past named Gabriel Wortman was about to shatter that peace. On that night, he began a 13-hour shooting spree that would leave 22 innocent people dead at 16 different crime scenes across the province.

What started with an argument between Wortman and his long-time partner escalated quickly. Unimaginable devastation followed. When police arrived, several homes were burning and gunshots were ringing out.

Some police officers have described what they found when they arrived as “a war zone.”

But the terror and the true impact of his crimes were only just beginning.

We have much more on our website, including articles, maps, and photos: globalnews.ca/13hours

Instagram: @13hourspodcast

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @SarahRitchieTV; @alexandrakress

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On the morning of April 19, 2020, Greg Muise and Darrell Currie were preparing the Onslow Belmont Fire Brigade to help evacuees from Portapique, N.S. Suddenly, shots rang out and bullets sprayed the building, forcing them and others to run for cover.

They thought they were going to die at the hands of the gunman.

But it was the police who were shooting.

In this episode we break down what happened, second by second, as we describe what surveillance video captured. We also hear harrowing testimony from the firefighters about what they lived through that day, and from witnesses who saw it unfold.

More than 10 months later, the firefighters say they've never gotten an explanation or an apology from police.

We have much more on our website, including articles, maps, and photos: globalnews.ca/13hours

Instagram: @13hourspodcast

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At 8:02 AM, Nova Scotia RCMP Tweeted that they were responding to an “active shooter situation” in Portapique. Five minutes later, they told other police forces they were searching for Gabriel Wortman, who was wanted for homicide and considered armed and dangerous. The police bulletin said he may be driving a fully marked RCMP cruiser and “could be anywhere in the province.”

But the public did not get that information until hours later. And in the meantime, Wortman’s killing spree continued.

In this episode, we meet four more victims whose lives were taken that morning before police warned people that he was driving a mock RCMP cruiser. Some of their families say an emergency alert would have saved their lives.

We have much more on our website, including articles, maps, and photos: globalnews.ca/13hours

Instagram: @13hourspodcast

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @SarahRitchieTV; @alexandrakress

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In this episode, we hear from police on scene in Portapique for the first time through recently uncovered recordings of their radio communications. The recordings show police were having communication issues and navigation issues as they searched for the gunman in the early morning on April 19, 2020.

We also hear from Leon Joudrey, the first person to speak with the gunman’s common-law partner after she emerged from the woods. RCMP say she was a key witness, giving them crucial new information about his police disguise and his weapons.

Then our story follows the gunman as he leaves Debert and drives to Wentworth, N.S. We'll introduce you to his next victims, Sean McLeod and Alanna Jenkins.

We have much more on our website, including articles, maps, and photos: globalnews.ca/13hours

Instagram: @13hourspodcast

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @SarahRitchieTV; @alexandrakress

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