MCC Day 45 – A History of Violence Ignored

The Mass Casualty Commission today focused on Gabriel Wortman’s extensive history of violence with people other than his spouse. There was a presentation of a Foundational Document summarizing Wortman’s violent encounters with others, followed by a witness, Wortman’s former neighbour, Brenda Forbes. Ms. Forbes knew about some key incidents of violence, and had reported Wortman to the police. Wortman appears to have been a person who routinely used physical violence throughout his adult life. With men, he would either seek out or be easily provoked into violence. With women, he was sexually aggressive and persistent in his advances. He plead guilty to assaulting a teenage boy, but received a discharge (meaning he would not have a criminal record). He would break dentures and threaten customers who did not pay on time. Brenda Forbes’ testimony in part demonstrated how far people can go, and yet still not get in any trouble with the police. Ms. Forbes and her husband George both had long careers in the military, and were looking to settle down into retirement in Portapique. They built the home that they eventually sold to John Zahl and Joanne Thomas, who were killed by Wortman. He burned their home to the ground.