HALIFAX –
A lawyer for the families of the victims killed in the Nova Scotia massacre says an 18-hour delay in finding five bodies from the killings is a sign of “poor” police.
A study released on Thursday by the public investigation into the shooting cites the RCMP’s supervising sergeant. Andy O’Brien stated that “it never crossed his mind” to drive to scenes other than places where bodies were known to exist and where fires had occurred in Portapique, NS.
The public investigation has said that 13 of the 22 victims were killed by the gunman in Portapique between 10:00 pm and 10:45 pm on April 18, 2020, when the killer escaped on a side road with his retort from the police car.
However, the study says that it was not until 16:46 on April 19, 2020 that the bodies of Peter and Joy Bond were found and, a few minutes later, those of Aaron Tuck, Jolene Oliver and Emily Tuck. a small road called Cobequid Court at the southern end of the community.
Josh Bryson, a Bond family lawyer, says the RCMP did not order a house-to-house visit to the small community homes before they did, adding that police left family members desperate. for their loved ones. ‘destiny.
“It’s deficient, it’s not appropriate,” Bryson said in an interview Friday. “It ‘s not acceptable to us. You had limbs on hand … There were no searches (in the morning).
“They didn’t seem to mind that there might be residents in homes who needed medical attention.”
On the morning of April 19, 2020, members of the emergency response team were gradually evacuating the community. However, after receiving a call at 9:30 a.m. for another shooting near Wentworth, NS, these officers quickly left Portapique to chase the gunman. The investigation heard Thursday that the district commander, the staff sergeant. Al Carroll and Sgt. O’Brien took over the Portapique area at this time, with agents under his command. Carroll left in the middle of the morning, leaving O’Brien at the helm.
Bryson said members of the Bond family had contacted police via 911 to ask for information on the morning of April 19, but that the requests did not appear to have reached Carroll.
Carroll said Thursday that he did not recall receiving “any messages” from police dispatchers about the calls. He also said that the houses were not expected to be searched, as it was up to the main crime investigators to take the next steps.
Const. Nick Dorrington told investigators that on April 19 he was ordered to look for “mortality in the front lawn.” The study says GPS records indicate that his car stopped in front of Bond’s house at 10:26 p.m. Dorrington’s car was at the residence for about 30 minutes. seconds, but did not enter the house.
Bryson said one has to wonder why the officer did not approach the house. “Mr Bond was dead at the front door; the screen door was off the hinges, the TV was on; the lights were on. Someone sitting on the sidewalk is extremely annoying and worrying,” he said. to say.
“There is no evidence to suggest that (the victims) were still alive, but it is very distressing to learn that your loved ones remained in the area with lifeguards nearby, but are not being discovered,” the lawyer added.
The issue of communication errors has been highlighted over the past week at public inquiry hearings.
Carroll testified Thursday that he did not know until 3:30 a.m. April 19 that there were two key eyewitnesses who saw the killer and his patrol car retreat around 10:15 p.m. previous.
Bryson said the RCMP’s communication shortcomings have emerged as a key revelation of the investigation so far.
“A lot of that can be solved, from my point of view, with better systems for transmitting information, which would have a minimal cost,” he said.
This report from The Canadian Press was first published on May 27, 2022.