HALIFAX — When a man disguised as a Mountie started killing people in northern Nova Scotia two years ago, there was considerable confusion over who was in charge of the RCMP operation, newly released documents show.
The public inquiry investigating the tragedy has also heard, in testimony on Monday, about the “chaos in communications” that ensued on April 18-19, 2020, when 22 people were killed in the worst mass shooting in modern Canadian history.
In a summary of evidence about the RCMP’s command decisions, released Tuesday, the inquiry was reminded that the first indication of trouble came at 10:01 p.m., on April 18, 2020. That’s when Jamie Blair, a resident of rural Portapique, N.S., called 911 to report that her husband had just been shot by a man with “a big gun.”
As the gunman broke into her home, Blair reported just before she was shot dead that the attacker had a “decked and labelled” police car but was not a police officer.
At the time, Staff Sgt. Brian Rehill was the RCMP’s risk manager at its Operational Communications Centre in nearby Truro, N.S. Following RCMP protocol, he immediately assumed command.
Within the next 30 minutes, as reports came in about more fatal shootings, Rehill engaged the RCMP’s critical incident command structure and he reached out for help from four other staff sergeants: Steve Halliday, Addie MacCallum, Al Carroll and Jeff West.
The 130-page document includes excerpts of an interview with Halliday, who made it clear that he believed he was in charge of the “overall operation” when he arrived at the RCMP detachment in Bible Hill, N.S., at about 11:30 p.m.
But Halliday, the district’s operations officer, told an inquiry investigator that he decided to leave Rehill in control of resources as “ad hoc incident commander.”
In an interview with the commission last year, Rehill said it was his understanding that he would be the “initial critical incident commander” until West, a trained critical incident commander, arrived.
As well, there was another RCMP officer providing direction that night: Sgt. Andy O’Brien, the Bible Hill detachment’s operations non-commissioned officer. Though he was off duty and had consumed four alcoholic drinks, O’Brien later retrieved his portable radio from the detachment — with the help of his wife — and joined in offering direction to investigating officers.
The question of who was in charge in those crucial early hours was addressed in an earlier occupational health and safety report, which found the RCMP had breached the federal Labour Code by failing to ensure employees had necessary supervision.
In a March 29 report, investigator Lorna MacMillan said general duty officers were operating in an “environment of confusion as to who had command and control of the situation.”
MacMillan concluded the supervisors’ training “did not provide the competencies required to allow supervisors to manage an unfolding critical incident such as an active shooter in a large outdoor, rural … environment.”
Testifying before the inquiry on Tuesday, Halliday said he didn’t see confusion in leadership during the early response.
As he drove towards Truro from the RCMP offices in Stellarton, Halliday said he didn’t hear excessive radio traffic as O’Brien and Rehill spoke to the first three officers advancing into Portapique, though he added he wasn’t listening constantly.
Halliday testified that when he arrived at the RCMP offices in Bible Hill, MacCallum was busy looking at maps of the area, and Carroll was tasked with strategies to contain the area. He said it made sense to keep Rehill as the main voice on the radio to the front-line officers because at that point he had “the best situational awareness of anyone.”
Halliday said he was aware that O’Brien was also speaking on the radio, though he didn’t know he was working from home.
“Frankly at that point I was glad to have O’Brien supporting Rehill …. Everybody had a role, everybody had a function and knew what that role was. In my view there was no mistake in that. In my view they were carrying their functions out well and doing what needed to be done to address the issue,” he said.
Tim Mills, the RCMP corporal in charge of the tactical response unit at the time, testified Monday that he and his 12-member team received limited direction as they attempted to find the killer on the second day.
Roger Burrill, senior counsel for the inquiry, asked Mills: “As you’re responding, and the perpetrator is on the move, is anyone directing your response locations?”
“No, no,” responded Mills, who has since retired from the force.
As for the more senior Mounties involved, the latest document mentions Supt. Darren Campbell and Chief Supt. Chris Leather. But few details are provided, aside from confirmation that Campbell had approved deploying a critical incident commander at 10:46 p.m. and followed up with an email indicating there had been a “multiple shooting.” The document says it remains unclear who received the email.
At 11:08 p.m., Leather sent a text to Campbell indicating he was aware of a “double homicide and an active shooter north of Truro.” Campbell responded by confirming he had approved a critical incident commander but had no further details to offer.
At 1:19 a.m. on April 19, 2020, Staff Sgt. Jeff West took over as the critical incident commander at a command post in Great Village, N.S., about 10 kilometres east of Portapique. But due to heavy traffic on the RCMP radios, he was unable to announce the change until five minutes later.
The inquiry has heard that police communication via two-way radio was a mess during most of the initial response, mainly because the system couldn’t handle the number of calls coming in. RCMP Cpl. Trent Milton, an emergency response team member who testified on Monday, said there was “chaos in communications.”
Under questioning by Robert Pineo, a lawyer who represents the families of 14 victims, the RCMP officer said, “Too many people were trying to chime in over the radio, and it was leading to confusion.”
And when Staff Sgt. Dan MacGillivray took over as critical incident commander at 10:20 a.m. on April 19, 2020, he was unable to broadcast the change of command until 11:21 a.m., again because of the clogged airwaves.
The inquiry has heard the gunman, 51-year-old denture technician Gabriel Wortman, was shot dead by two Mounties just before 11:30 a.m. when he stopped at a gas station north of Halifax to refuel a stolen car.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 17, 2022.
Michael MacDonald and Michael Tutton, The Canadian Press
PORT ALBERNI, B.C. – RCMP say the body of a second person has been found inside their vehicle after a road washed away amid pouring rain on the west coast of Vancouver Island.
Police say two vehicles went into the Sarita River when Bamfield Road washed out on Saturday as an atmospheric river hammered southern B.C.
The body of the other driver was found Sunday.
More coming.
The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
The B.C. Greens say Sonia Furstenau will be staying on as party leader, despite losing her seat in the legislature in Saturday’s provincial election.
The party says in a statement that its two newly elected MLAs, Jeremy Valeriote and Rob Botterell, support Furstenau’s leadership as they “navigate the prospect of having the balance of power in the legislature.”
Neither the NDP led by Premier David Eby nor the B.C. Conservatives led by John Rustad secured a majority in the election, with two recounts set to take place from Oct. 26 to 28.
Eby says in a news conference that while the election outcome is uncertain, it’s “very likely” that the NDP would need the support of others to pass legislation.
He says he reached out to Furstenau on election night to congratulate her on the Greens’ showing.
But he says the Green party has told the NDP they are “not ready yet” for a conversation about a minority government deal.
The Conservatives went from taking less than two per cent of the vote in 2020 to being elected or leading in 45 ridings, two short of a majority and only one behind the NDP.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 22, 2024.
The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
Toronto FC captain Jonathan Osorio is making a difference, 4,175 kilometres away from home.
The 32-year-old Canadian international midfielder, whose parents hail from Colombia, has been working with the Canadian Colombian Children’s Organization, a charity whose goal is to help disadvantaged youth in the South American country.
Osorio has worked behind the scenes, with no fanfare.
Until now, with his benevolence resulting in becoming Toronto FC’s nominee for the Audi Goals Drive Progress Impact Award, which honours an MLS player “who showed outstanding dedication to charitable efforts and serving the community” during the 2024 season.”
Other nominees include Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder Sebastian Berhalter and CF Montreal goalkeeper Jonathan Sirois.
The winner will be announced in late November.
The Canadian Colombian Children’s Organization (CCCO) is run entirely by volunteers like Monica Figueredo and Claudia Soler. Founded in 1991, it received charitable status in 2005.
The charity currently has four projects on the go: two in Medellin and one each in Armenia and Barranquilla.
They include a school, a home for young girls whose parents are addicted to drugs, after-school and weekend programs for children in a disadvantaged neighbourhood, and nutrition and education help for underprivileged youth.
The organization heard about Osorio and was put in contact with him via an intermediary, which led to a lunch meeting. Osorio did his due diligence and soon got back to the charity with his decision.
“It was something that I wanted to be a part of right away,” said Osorio, whose lone regret is that he didn’t get involved sooner.
“I’m fortunate now that to help more now that I could have back then,” he added. “The timing actually worked out for everybody. For the last three years I have donated to their cause and we’ve built a couple of (football) fields in different cities over there in the schools.”
His father visited one of the sites in Armenia close to his hometown.
“He said it was amazing, the kids, how grateful they are to be able to play on any pitch, really,” said Osorio. “But to be playing on a new pitch, they’re just so grateful and so humble.
“It really makes it worth it being part of this organization.”
The collaboration has also made Osorio take stock.
“We’re very fortunate here in Canada, I think, for the most part. Kids get to go to school and have a roof over their head and things like that. In Colombia, it’s not really the same case. My father and his family grew up in tough conditions, so giving back is like giving back to my father.”
Osorio’s help has been a godsend to the charity.
“We were so surprised with how willing he was,” said Soler.
The TFC skipper has helped pay for a football field in Armenia as well as an ambitious sports complex under construction in Barranquilla.
“It’s been great for them,” Figueredo said of the pitch in Armenia. “Because when they go to school, now they have a proper place to train.”
Osorio has also sent videos encouraging the kids to stay active — as well as shipping soccer balls and signed jerseys their way.
“They know more about Jonathan than the other players in Colombia,” Figueredo said. “That’s the funny part. Even though he’s far away, they’ve connected with him.”
“They feel that they have a future, that they can do more,” she added. “Seeing that was really, really great.”
The kids also followed Osorio through the 2022 World Cup and this summer’s Copa America.
Back home, Osorio has also attended the charity’s annual golf tournament, helping raise funds.
A Toronto native, he has long donated four tickets for every TFC home game to the Hospital for Sick Children.
Vancouver’s Berhalter was nominated for his involvement in the Whitecaps’ partnership with B.C. Children’s Hospital while Montreal’s Sirois was chosen for his work with the Montreal Impact Foundation.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2024.
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