After Worst-Ever Shooting, a Different Kind of Autopsy

The investigation into Canada's deadliest mass shooting will encompass more than an analysis of the 17 crime scenes involved. Investigators will be conducting a "psychological autopsy" on gunman Gabriel Wortman through interviews with friends, relatives, and co-workers, "with the intent of gathering insights into why he committed the acts of violence," said the Royal Canadian Mounted police in a Monday statement. "This includes an analysis of his personality, past behavior, and how he related to others."

The Guardian reports the technique has been used since the 1950s to try to get at motive, though more commonly in cases of suicide. Some 500 witnesses have spoken to police in the wake of the 12-hour Nova Scotia rampage, which claimed the lives of 22 victims—13 by gunshots and 9 in fires Wortman set. Meanwhile, the Toronto Sun reports that as of Friday, nine families of victims were trying to certify a class-action lawsuit against Wortman's estate, which includes real estate whose value is thought to exceed $1 million. (More mass shootings stories.)