(Halifax) The wife of the man responsible for the 2020 mass shooting in Nova Scotia began telling her story for the very first time Friday morning at the public inquiry into the tragedy.
Posted at 11:28
Commissioners heard that Lisa Banfield was beaten and seriously injured by the killer just before he began his killing spree on the night of April 18, 2020. She told officers and commission investigators that she fled in a wooded area before coming out later to alert the emergency services that her husband was still at large on the morning of April 19.
At the time, the suspect was dressed as a Constable and was driving a vehicle disguised as an RCMP patrol car.
The commission examining the April 18-19, 2020 mass shooting agreed to let Mme Banfield to testify without being cross-examined by lawyers representing other parties, primarily because she may be traumatized by having to relive the violence she endured.
The stewards exempted Mme Banfield to have to answer questions about his 19-year violent relationship with the killer.
Commission counsel Gillian Hnatiw posed a series of questions to Ms.me Banfield about the first moments of his meeting with the perpetrator of the massacre. A relationship that began in 2001 when they met in a bar in downtown Halifax.
Lisa Banfield said he showed up on their first date with two dozen roses. “I thought that was overkill,” she said flatly.
She then recounted how, that same evening, she was impressed by his reaction when his car was rammed by a young female driver. Mme Banfield mentioned that the man was polite and collected despite the bad luck.
“I thought to myself, he’s a good guy,” she recalled.
Some relatives of the victims attend the hearing on Friday at the Halifax Convention Center.
Mme Banfield is accompanied by two of her sisters named Janice and Maureen.
Me Hnatiw showed a series of photos to Mme Banfield, where you can see the couple’s cottage and Portapique’s “warehouse”. One of the images taken inside the warehouse shows the famous imitation RCMP patrol vehicle.
Earlier this week, the commission released a document based on evidence provided by Mr.me Banfield during interviews with the RCMP and the investigation detailing the killer’s long history of violence against him.
Lawyer Michael Scott, whose firm represents the families of 14 of the victims, says the inquest’s decision to limit questioning will cast doubts on Mr.me Bankfield.
During the 13 hours that the killing lasted, the author killed 22 people, including a pregnant woman and a policewoman. He was shot dead by two gendarmes on the morning of April 19, 2020.