The deadliest mass shooting in Canadian history began as an assault between the gunman and a woman he was in a long-term relationship with.
That’s according to Nova Scotia RCMP who gave an update Friday morning on last weekend’s shooting spree that saw 22 people killed and three injured.
Police were initially called out at 10:26 Saturday night (ADT) about an altercation with the suspect and a female victim who was able to get away and hide in the woods overnight.
She emerged in the morning and contacted police telling them the suspect was driving a replica police cruiser and dressed in a police uniform.
Mounties provided a detailed timeline of how the events unfolded between Saturday night and Sunday (Apr. 18-19), saying the gunman used a pistol and several long-barreled weapons during the rampage.
Constable Heidi Stevenson came in contact with the gunman, and the vehicles hit head-on. Stevenson engaged with the gunman and was shot dead. The gunman then took her sidearm and ammunition. A passerby stopped to help; the gunman killed him and took his silver SUV, setting the cruisers on fire.
Investigators say they are hoping the public will continue to contact police if they know anything about what happened.
They say they aren’t ruling out the possibility that there was any pre-meditated planning involved in the shooting that saw some victims who were known to the suspects targeted and others random.