“THE DEADLIEST MONTREAL MASSACRE ON 6TH DECEMBER, 1989”

 

“THE DEADLIEST MONTREAL MASSACRE 

ON 6^TH DECEMBER, 1989”

The Montreal Massacre remains the deadliest mass shooting in Canadian history and a defining moment in the country’s conversation regarding misogyny, gun control, and policing.

 

The Sequence of Events:

On the afternoon of December 6, 1989, 25-year-old Marc Lépine entered the École Polytechnique, an engineering school affiliated with the Université de Montréal. Armed with a Ruger Mini-14 semi-automatic rifle and a hunting knife, he began a systematic attack that lasted approximately 20 minutes.

·        5:10 PM: Lépine entered a second-floor mechanical engineering classroom. He separated the nine women from the approximately 50 men.

·        The Confrontation: He ordered the men to leave and told the women, "You're all a bunch of feminists, and I hate feminists." Despite the students' protests that they were just students, he opened fire, killing six.

·        The Rampage: He moved through the corridors, the cafeteria, and another classroom on the fourth floor. He specifically targeted women, though several men were caught in the crossfire or injured while trying to help.

·        The End: After killing 14 women, Lépine turned the gun on himself and committed suicide.

The Casualties:

The attack resulted in the deaths of 14 women, most of whom were engineering students.

 

Victims of the Montreal Massacre
Geneviève Bergeron	Hélène Colgan	Nathalie Croteau
Barbara Daigneault	Anne-Marie Edward	Maud Haviernick
Barbara Klucznik-Widajewicz	Maryse Laganière	Maryse Leclair
Anne-Marie Lemay	Sonia Pelletier	Michèle Richard
Annie St-Arneault	Annie Turcotte

 

In addition to the fatalities, 14 others were injured: 10 women and 4 men.

 

The Motive and Findings:

The investigation revealed a clear, premeditated motive rooted in misogyny.

·        The Suicide Note: A three-page letter found in Lépine's pocket blamed feminists for ruining his life. He claimed he was an "anti-feminist" and that women seeking careers in traditionally male-dominated fields (like engineering) were "viragos" (masculine/aggressive women) trying to keep their advantages while grabbing those of men.

·        The Hit List: The note included a list of 19 prominent Quebec women—including journalists, politicians, and activists—whom he intended to kill because he deemed them too "feminist."

·        Psychological Profile: Investigators found that Lépine had been rejected by the Canadian Armed Forces and had failed to gain admission to the École Polytechnique. He lacked a stable social circle and channeled his personal failures into a violent political ideology.

 

Investigation and "Verdicts":

Because Lépine died at the scene, there was no criminal trial. However, a coroner’s inquest led by Teresa Sourour (released in 1991) provided critical findings:

1.   Police Response: The Montreal police (SPVM) were heavily criticized for their "perimeter" strategy. Officers waited outside for backup while the shooting continued inside. This failure led to a global shift in policing toward Active Shooter Protocols, where the first officers on the scene are now trained to enter immediately to neutralize the threat.

2.   Firearm Accessibility: The investigation highlighted how easily Lépine had legally purchased a semi-automatic weapon, despite expressing erratic behavior previously.

 

The Aftermath and Legacy:

The massacre profoundly changed Canadian society and law:

·        Gun Control: The tragedy catalyzed the Coalition for Gun Control, leading to the passage of Bill C-68 in 1995. This introduced stricter licensing, the registration of all firearms (including long guns), and bans on several types of semi-automatic weapons.

·        National Day of Remembrance: In 1991, the Parliament of Canada established December 6 as the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.

·        The White Ribbon Campaign: Started by a group of men in London, Ontario, in 1991, this movement encourages men to wear a white ribbon as a pledge to never commit, excuse, or remain silent about violence against women.

"We will never forget. It wasn't just a shooting; it was an attack on the right of women to exist in spaces they had fought so hard to enter." — Common sentiment at annual vigils.

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