The ripple impact from a Nova Scotia mass capturing in 2020, which claimed the lives of twenty-two individuals, continues to be felt greater than six years later.
A survivor of the Portapique, N.S., capturing has died by suicide, prompting requires higher psychological well being helps.
Household say Clinton Ellison struggled with post-traumatic stress dysfunction ever because the occasions of April 18, 2020. Final month, he died by suicide in Fredericton.
“He simply lived in concern as a result of there have been demons in his life that have been simply haunting him to no finish,” his stepfather, Wayne Smith, mentioned.
On April 18 to 19 in 2020, a gunman — at occasions disguised as an RCMP officer — murdered 22 individuals in Nova Scotia throughout a rampage that started within the Colchester County neighborhood of Portapique. The victims included a pregnant lady and an RCMP officer.
Clinton and his brother, Corrie, have been visiting household in Portapique after they heard a gunshot and noticed hearth within the distance.
Corrie went to research, however when he didn’t return, Clinton went on the lookout for him.
Corrie had been shot and killed by the gunman. Clinton spent hours hiding within the woods whereas the rampage continued.
Get every day Nationwide information
Get every day Canada information delivered to your inbox so you will by no means miss the day’s prime tales.
“He wanted assist and he suffered all these years. Six years from that dying as a result of he discovered Corrie on the facet of the highway that night time,” mentioned Smith.
“He spent three to 4 hours within the woods, ? Listening to all of the gunfire and screams.”
Clinton could have emerged from the woods secure, however specialists say trauma can turn into overwhelming with out the mandatory psychological well being helps and a rigorous skilled evaluation.
“I feel it’s a stark reminder that the dying depend from one thing like a mass capturing doesn’t finish on the day that the capturing occurs,” mentioned Dr. Norman Farb, a College of Toronto psychology professor.
“Trauma-related deaths like Clinton’s are nonetheless a part of the true toll.”
Leon Joudrey additionally survived the 2020 mass capturing and died by suicide in 2022 after struggling together with his personal psychological well being.
He instructed World Information in December 2020 that 13 of his neighbours died.
“I misplaced my mates,” Joudrey mentioned on the time. “I woke as much as a horror present. I’ll by no means recover from it.”
Farb says long-term assist is significant in traumatic cases
“Just a few kind of check-in follow-up course of can be step one, so that you no less than know what’s happening within the face of trauma with individuals affected and subsequent of kin,” he mentioned.
Clinton’s stepfather agrees.
“There have been people who jumped on the bandwagon to assist out, do that and that, however as time went on, they forgot, however you possibly can’t neglect about these individuals,” mentioned Smith.
In 2023, the Mass Casualty Fee launched a wide-ranging report that made a variety of suggestions round enhancing psychological well being entry within the province.
Amongst these suggestions was to extend the supply of mainstream psychological well being providers, improve literacy round grief, bereavement, trauma and resiliency, and implement a nationwide coverage to supply assist providers for these affected by a mass casualty.
However there was additionally concern within the months and years after, with some saying the psychological well being assets have been nonetheless missing.
Funding for some psychological well being packages tied to the 2020 mass capturing and the fee’s report have been a part of the cuts on this yr’s provincial price range tabled in February.
Smith believes it’s necessary to talk out about psychological well being helps, and says he’ll accomplish that now as a result of he believes Clinton would have needed him to take up the mantle.
“Corrie and Clinton now are each gone, their reminiscence remains to be with me,” he mentioned.
“However you need to stay for the dwelling, I imply, you need to present some compassion and care. Hopefully, one other tragedy like that may by no means occur once more.”
© 2026 World Information, a division of Corus Leisure Inc.
