Florence Dobson said she could hardly believe her eyes on Monday, April 19, when she saw a Facebook post from the Truro Police Service.
“Public Notice:” read the post, which has since been taken down.
“Please be advised that police will be conducting firearms training at the Truro Police Service Range on south Young St today.
“People living in the area of south Young St, Princeton Heights, or using Victoria Park or trails near the watershed may hear noise associated with this training.”
As someone who lost extended family members during the mass shootings that began in Portapique last April 18 and 19, Dobson said she could only sit in “disbelief” after reading the post, especially given the first-anniversary memorial events that had taken place on Sunday and with people still coming to Victoria Park on Monday to pay their respects in front of the mementos placed there.
“For me, it was just totally disrespectful in any circumstances of the day,” she said.
Disrespectful of families of mass shooting victims
Dobson said she called both the Truro police station and the town office to register her complaint but was told there was nothing that could be done at that point to have the exercise stopped.
And she “very strongly” feels that Monday’s action at the range had caused distress to many, including others in her family, Dobson said.
“I agree,” her sister Linda Winters said, in her own Facebook comments to a posting Dobson made on Monday. “I saw the post and thought ... 'how could they be doing this today and in the area of Victoria Park where the memorial walk is still in place'. Very inconsiderate and disrespectful.”
Another sister, Judy Elliott, told SaltWire Network she felt there was simply no excuse for having guns being fired on the anniversary of last year's mass murders that claimed 22 lives and an unborn baby and which left three other people injured.
“Absolutely appalled at them,” she said, of those responsible. “It’s insensitive and inexcusable. Those dates should always be relevant when people are planning stuff like that. Those dates should always be bookmarked from here on out.”
Future plans for shooting range
Truro Mayor Bill Mills, when contacted about the incident, said that is precisely what will happen going forward.
“Certainly, apologies are in order and, as I said, that will never be repeated again,” said Mills, who added that the dates of April 18 and 19 will be blocked off "perpetually" for future activity at the Truro police shooting range.
“We regret that it happened,” Mills said. “What happened was, it was booked back in January. And for one reason or another they didn’t pick up on the fact it was the same dates as Nova Scotia Remembers Portapique, which was a glaring, glaring mistake. Anyway, it certainly won’t happen again.”
Truro Police Service chief Dave MacNeil said the range was booked in early January by an outside police agency for three days of training between April 19, 20 and 21.
“We would agree they probably shouldn’t have taken the booking but someone didn’t think (about the April anniversary dates), and the range was booked on the basis that those dates were open," he said.
"In hindsight, whoever called should have known that was one of the days you shouldn’t call to book the range. But it was booked, unfortunately.”
Only a “minimal” amount of shooting occurred on Monday,” MacNeil said, adding the police service only received one complaint about the range being in use and the Facebook posts he was aware of were about even between criticism and support.
“In hindsight, whoever called should have known that that was one of the days you shouldn’t call to book the range. But it was booked, unfortunately.
“Someone didn’t pick up on them, which regrettably they should have. As a police service, we’re very regrettable that that happened and we’ve taken steps to address that by blacking those dates off on a go forward, so nobody will be on the range for the 18th and 19th."
Dobson and the others said they personally didn’t hear any shooting but that their concerns originated from the Facebook notice posted by the Truro police. Nonetheless, they each said their primary concern was that the shooting range was used at all on that day.
'Completely insensitive'
“I’m not sure how much thought was put into people actually firing guns (during the anniversary),” said Cathy Weatherby, who also called the Truro News to share her concerns.
“It was completely insensitive, I think,” she said. “A lot of families are going through pain, but people are going to Victoria Park to the monuments to grieve … and for them to have guns firing anywhere on that day is just very insensitive to me.”
Mills said he heard that others did hear shots coming from the range and given the current state of society’s collective mindset, he understands why some people would be upset.
Even something as innocent as a cleanup crew tossing broken pieces of concrete into a refuse bin at the former NovelTea Bookstore Café on Prince Street on Monday “… scared the daylights out of people too, because they didn’t know what that was,” the mayor said.
“I think with all that is going on in our society right now, with COVID, with Nova Scotia Remembers, and other incidents taking place, people are really wound up tight and it doesn’t take much. When something happens, we think the worst. And I get that. I fully understand that," Mills said.
“It was unfortunate that it happened … it is a lesson that won’t be forgot that is for sure."
Dobson said she is happy to hear that the shooting range will no longer be used on those April dates.
“I’m satisfied. I have to take them at their word that what occurred was an oversight, she said, adding, however, there is one more consideration that should be given.
“I would definitely like to see a public apology,” she said.
