The public inquiry into the Nova Scotia mass shooting will resume in downtown Halifax on Monday morning.
Nova Scotians will hear from three RCMP officers who were the first on the ground in Portapique on April 18th, 2020.
Constables Stuart Beselt, Adam Merchant, and Aaron Patton are scheduled to testify as part of a witness panel.
They’ll describe their approach when they arrived on the scene to the sound of gunshots and buildings burning.
On the night of the shootings, the fourth constable on duty stayed at the entrance to Portapique to contain the area.
The debate over RCMP testimony
Earlier this month, the Mass Casualty Commission decided on the witness panel model following days of debate over what officers should testify.
Lawyers for families of victims argued they wanted to hear from the officers who responded during the early hours of the shooting.
However, legal counsel for the force said live testimony could re-traumatize first responders and go against the inquiry’s mandate.
It was ultimately decided the officers will be subpoenaed to answer questions about their decisions, including the issue of containment of the rarely used road in Portapique that the shooter accessed for his escape.
