Gabriel Wortman was born on July 5, 1968, in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. He grew up in a challenging family environment. His father was known for being a manipulative figure and was involved in petty theft. This had a lasting impact on Wortman as he observed and possibly learned harmful behaviors from his father.

Wortman showed early interests that seemed to point toward a future in law enforcement. According to his yearbook, he aspired to become a police officer. However, as he grew up, he developed traits that troubled those around him. Witnesses described him as paranoid, manipulative, and controlling. He had a tendency to be obsessed with his partner and demonstrated jealousy over her relationships.

In 2002, Wortman was involved in an incident that led to him pleading guilty to assault, for which he received nine months of probation. During this time, he was prohibited from possessing weapons and ordered to undergo anger management counseling. Despite this legal trouble, he built a career as a denturist. Wortman operated two clinics, one in Dartmouth and another in Halifax.

Throughout his life, Wortman faced financial difficulties and was involved in various disputes over property ownership. He was known to be controlling in his business relationships and used questionable methods to acquire property.

In 2004, he purchased a cottage in Portapique, Nova Scotia, where he later spent considerable time. His real estate dealings built him an estate valued at around CA$2.1 million, which included multiple properties and corporations.

During the time leading up to more serious events in his life, Wortman was reportedly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. He felt paranoia about the future and took actions that alarmed those close to him. Wortman's spouse later described how he had begun to withdraw cash from his bank accounts in large sums, fueled by anxieties about control over money and societal collapse.

As a person, Wortman was multifaceted, with interests that ranged from his denturist practice to hobbies involving police memorabilia. He had a collection of old police cars and sometimes role-played as a police officer. His connections to local law enforcement, despite a disdain for them, painted a complicated picture of his personality.

On April 18, 2020, the violent spree of Gabriel Wortman began in Portapique, Nova Scotia. He first assaulted his partner in their cottage, pouring gasoline in the space and igniting a fire. He then forced her to walk to a nearby warehouse. In an effort to control her, he locked her in the back seat of his replica RCMP cruiser. His partner managed to escape and hid in the woods until the next morning. After this, Wortman set the warehouse ablaze.

As night fell, starting around 10:01 PM, numerous residents called 9-1-1 reporting gunshots and fires. During this time, Wortman killed a couple and their two dogs, and returned to kill another woman across the street from his cottage. One of the victims' children overheard Wortman specifically targeting his father due to his gun ownership. He then shot at neighbors driving by, injuring one person.

When police arrived around 10:26 PM, they experienced difficulties locating the shooter, finding some victims in the process. They were overwhelmed and sought assistance. Residents eventually identified Wortman and informed police that he was driving a replica police vehicle. Despite this clarity, there was confusion regarding his apprehension.

By the early hours of April 19, Wortman had fled the immediate area and was actively killing in nearby locations. He drove north on Highway 4, stopping at a house where he knew the residents and killing them. He then set that house on fire as well. As he returned south, he shot another person walking along the road and tried to gain entry into another home but was recognized and repelled.

Throughout the morning, Wortman performed traffic stops on unsuspecting motorists, killing two individuals in Debert. He later shot a police officer, Chad Morrison, who survived, but then engaged in a fatal encounter with another officer, Heidi Stevenson, whom he shot and killed after stealing her weapon.

Wortman continued to murder at random until he was spotted in Enfield, where he stopped to refuel at an Irving gas station. At 11:26 AM, police confronted him. In response, he lifted the stolen sidearm to his own head and fired. Police returned fire, killing him.

In total, Wortman killed 22 people during his rampage, including a police officer. His actions led to multiple investigations and criticisms of law enforcement's response to the events.