A gunman disguised as a policeman killed at least 18 people, including a female Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) officer, in the worst mass shooting in Canada’s modern history.
The 12-hour rampage started late on Saturday and ended with a car chase.
Police said the suspect shot people at different locations in Nova Scotia, many of them randomly. He was killed in a confrontation with police.
He was reported to have been driving what looked like a police car.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau described the attack as “a tragedy”.
“Violence of any kind has no place in Canada. We stand with you and we grieve with you,” he said, addressing the nation on Monday.
Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil told reporters this was “one of the most senseless acts of violence in our province’s history”.
The RCMP said on Monday that they believe there may be more victim within the remains of homes torched as part of the weekend’s attacks.
Mr Trudeau said that his government was “on the verge” of introducing bans to assault style weapons before parliament was dissolved amid the coronavirus outbreak.
“We have every intention of moving forward”, once the outbreak is curbed, he said.
Through the morning Sunday, police updates about the active shooter investigation included warnings that Wortman was considered dangerous and may have been dressed as an RCMP officer in a lookalike RCMP vehicle.
“The fact that this individual had a uniform and a police car at his disposal certainly speaks to it not being a random act,” Leather was quoted in the CBC News report as saying.
“This is one of the most senseless acts of violence in our province’s history,” the CBC report quoted Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil as saying.
In a statement, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said: “As a country, in moments like these, we come together to support one another. Together we will mourn with the families of the victims, and help them get through this difficult time.”