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Canadian Police Say 19 Confirmed Dead in Nova Scotia Shooting, Death Toll Expected to Rise

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The death toll from the weekend shooting in the Canadian region of Nova Scotia has risen to at least 19 people, local police have confirmed.
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"I can confirm now that there are... 19 victims, both men and women and all were adults," Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Chief Superintendent Chris Leather told reporters.

Leather also said that the investigation is ongoing and the death toll could rise because some bodies might be in the sites.

Earlier in the day, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that at least 18 people lost their lives in the massacre. 

“Yesterday at least 18 people died following the shooting in Nova Scotia,” Trudeau said.

A shooting rampage in the Canadian maritime province of Nova Scotia, which lasted for two days, has resulted in the deaths of dozens of people, including one federal police officer.

A suspected gunman, who was later identified as 51-year-old denture-maker Gabriel Wortman, was neutralised following an hours-long manhunt.

Victoria Walton, a reporter at Halifax Today, shared her thoughts about the tragedy:

"I’m in Halifax so I was not at the scene but I’ve been following and was at the RCMP presser last night where they announced the officer’s death. I’d say everyone in the province is grieving, this is really something we never expected to happen here. We really don't know much more than what we've reported at this point and I'm trying not to speculate about motives and victims. But I would say everyone is shaken. It's an ominous quiet. It's hard realizing that these people won't get funerals because of COVID-19." 

The Nova Scotia massacre was described as the worst shooting incident in Canada since a gunman killed 14 women in Montreal's École Polytechnique in December 1989.

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