MCC Day 14 - The Officers Who Ended the Rampage Testify

The final day of proceedings prior to the second anniversary of the tragic deaths featured joint testimony from the two officers who shot and killed Gabriel Wortman. They described their actions overnight and into the morning, why they went to the Big Stop, and their developing knowledge base throughout the ordeal. They answered questions well, giving thorough and coherent accounts of what took place. In their telling, the takedown has its elements of luck, but is also an example of how well prepared and competent people just seem to make their own luck. They were chasing someone, who, unknown to anyone, had very recently switched vehicles, and who was carrying five loaded firearms. They both needed gas, and stopped at the same pump. Cst. Hubley thought quickly and acted quickly, with Cst. MacLeod in support. In total, they fired 23 bullets, killing Wortman. In the early moments, Wortman turned his gun on himself and took one shot which Dr. Bowes stated would have killed him eventually as well. (This last part of information was newly released yesterday through Dr. Bowes’ testimony, and expanded upon today by the officers.) Anyone watching Cst. Craig Hubley and Cst. Ben MacLeod testify today might naturally be caught up in the intense and at times emotional atmosphere in which the officers found themselves. Cst. Hubley was emotional in describing finding the McCully family dog, and the vindictiveness it would take to shoot a 20lb animal that posed no threat. Both officers took their time recounting the final moments of the rampage by Gabriel Wortman when they shot him at the Big Stop in Enfield. Certainly, having these particular officers testify at this time, prior to a long weekend, as well as the two-year anniversary of the killings, was a deliberate choice by the Commission. One might ask why these officers have been called to testify about their quick-thinking heroics, rather than having officers from the earlier portions of the narrative who have yet to testify. There are still many of them. The other question I had yesterday, and have even more so today, is why the video from the Big Stop was not shown and discussed. It was not even publicly acknowledged that there is video in existence (which there is, and which I have watched) which covers the final confrontation from several angles. The MCC has not stated whether the Commissioners have made a particular decision about playing the video.