RCMP confirm all homicides in N.S. mass killing were firearm-related

Nova Scotia RCMP are confirming that all 22 victims of the April 2020 mass killing in the province were shot.

The Mounties had never stated whether all victims died as a result of being shot or whether some died in fires, but the national police force confirmed the manner of the deaths to Statistics Canada, which published the information in a report released last week.

In an email, Statistics Canada says that all deaths in the Nova Scotia attacks were reported by police as being firearm-related homicides, meaning the weapon that caused death was a firearm.

The RCMP also confirmed in an email sent today that Statistics Canada released its data based on “information provided by the RCMP.”

The RCMP had previously confirmed that on the night of April 18, 2020, a lone gunman set fire to several homes and killed 13 people in Portapique, N.S., before evading police and killing nine more people the next day.

A commission of inquiry investigating the mass killing is expected to begin the first phase of hearings on Jan. 25.