Day of red: Officers ask people to don colour in honour of Nova Scotia murder victims

The country is set to mourn Friday the victims of the mass murder in Nova Scotia.

Twenty-two people, including RCMP Const. Heidi Stevenson, were killed by Gabriel Wortman last weekend. Wortman was eventually shot and killed by police.

Peter Merrifield, the vice-president of the National Police Federation in Nova Scotia, asked people across the country to wear red and to take part in a moment of silence. An online vigil also is to take place Friday afternoon.

“This is some of the most difficult times the citizens of this country have ever endured. There’s a lot of anxiety and fear over the COVID-19 pandemic and it has had an impact on Canadians. Now to go through something that is now Canada’s worst mass murder, it has touched not only the families of the victims but every single person in this country has been impacted,” Merrifield told the Greg Morgan Morning Show.

“It’s very difficult with the restrictions due to the pandemic to properly grieve.”

April 24th marks a day of mourning for Cst Heidi Stevenson and all victims killed in #NovaScotia. Our @reginapolice members will support #wearredfriday with red shirts or Police Memorial Ribbons and observe the moment of silence at 11am. #novascotiastrong pic.twitter.com/dP1EILJNKz

— Chief Evan Bray (@evanjbray) April 24, 2020

Merrifield said families in Nova Scotia can have only five people present at a funeral due to restrictions from the COVID-19 pandemic. He noted a police funeral can have thousands of attendees present.

“What we’re hoping to drive is that we can share a moment of tribute as a country where we are physically distanced but spiritually united,” Merrifield said.

Merrifield said he has spoken to police officers who are still on the ground at the crime scenes in Nova Scotia.

“It’s difficult for them. Our first member to respond responded to a home with two murdered adults that was on fire, another murdered adult who was outside on the ground — a mother who was a teacher — and four terrified children hiding in her house,” Merrifield said.

He said many of the officers who first responded, including Stevenson, did so with very little information about who the suspect may be.

“If I can ask anything of Canadians, it’s to just walk a few feet in the boots of our members on the ground that responded throughout the night to this incident. It wasn’t until the morning that we knew the suspect — who he was, how he was dressed, what he was driving — but our members went into all of these homes and did everything they could for people,” Merrifield said.

He also said the deadly incident can help remind people that officers are ultimately there to protect people no matter what.

“Our unspoken social contract is we will put ourselves at risk, up to and including our lives, to protect you and we forget that sometimes,” Merrifield said. “The odd speeding ticket kind of changes people’s perspective of police, but in the big picture when the chips are down and times matter, we will give all for you.”