The Tragedy at École Polytechnique: A Day of Darkness

The Fateful Day

On December 6, 1989, a chilling event unfolded at the École Polytechnique de Montréal, an engineering school affiliated with the Université de Montréal. On this day, the academic halls became the site of a tragic massacre, now etched into Canadian history as the École Polytechnique massacre or the Montreal massacre. The perpetrator, Marc Lépine, a 25-year-old armed with a legally obtained Ruger Mini-14 rifle and a hunting knife, unleashed his fury in an attack that claimed the lives of fourteen women, injured ten more women, and left four men wounded.

The attack began just after 5:00 p.m. when Lépine entered a mechanical engineering class, dividing the male and female students before ordering the men to leave. He then opened fire on the women, killing six. For nearly 20 minutes, Lépine prowled the corridors, cafeteria, and classrooms, targeting women as he moved. In total, eight more women were killed before he turned the gun on himself.

A Calculated Attack

Lépine's actions were not spontaneous. His attack was meticulously planned and executed as an anti-feminist statement. He had purchased the rifle less than a month prior, under the pretense of hunting small game, and was familiar with the École Polytechnique, having scouted it multiple times. On the day of the massacre, he was seen in the registrar's office before making his way to the classroom where his rampage began.

Once inside, Lépine fired a shot into the ceiling to command attention, then ordered the men to leave, claiming he was there to fight feminism. Despite protests from students like Nathalie Provost, who argued they were there to study engineering, not to fight men, Lépine opened fire, killing six women and wounding Provost and others.

As he moved through the school, he left a trail of devastation. In the financial services office, he shot through a locked door, killing Maryse Laganière. In the bustling cafeteria, he shot nursing student Barbara Maria Klucznik near the kitchen and killed Anne-Marie Edward and Geneviève Bergeron, who were hiding. He spared a male and female student hiding under a table. On the third floor, he continued his assault, shooting Maryse Leclair and others. In a final act of cruelty, he stabbed Leclair to death before ending his own life.

Emergency Response and Criticism

The response from emergency services faced harsh scrutiny. Security at the École Polytechnique was poorly trained and equipped, and communication issues delayed police and ambulance arrival. Officers established a perimeter but delayed entering, during which time Lépine continued his attack. This response was condemned in subsequent investigations, prompting changes in emergency protocols that later proved effective in other incidents.

The Aftermath

The massacre's aftermath was profound and far-reaching. Pierre Leclair, the Montreal Police's director of public relations, discovered his daughter Maryse among the victims. The governments of Quebec and Montreal declared three days of mourning, culminating in a joint funeral attended by high-ranking officials and thousands of mourners.

In the wake of the tragedy, Canadians grappled with the implications of Lépine's actions. The massacre sparked national debates about violence against women and gun control, leading to stricter laws and policy changes.

Remembering the Victims

Fourteen women lost their lives in the massacre:

• Geneviève Bergeron, 21, civil engineering student
• Hélène Colgan, 23, mechanical engineering student
• Nathalie Croteau, 23, mechanical engineering student
• Barbara Daigneault, 22, mechanical engineering student
• Anne-Marie Edward, 21, chemical engineering student
• Maud Haviernick, 29, materials engineering student
• Maryse Laganière, 25, budget clerk
• Maryse Leclair, 23, materials engineering student
• Anne-Marie Lemay, 22, mechanical engineering student
• Sonia Pelletier, 28, mechanical engineering student
• Michèle Richard, 21, materials engineering student
• Annie St-Arneault, 23, mechanical engineering student
• Annie Turcotte, 20, materials engineering student
• Barbara Klucznik-Widajewicz, 31, nursing student

Memorials

Memorials sprung up across Canada to honor the victims. The École Polytechnique installed a circular memorial naming all the victims. In Ottawa, the Women's Monument in Minto Park protests violence against women. In Vancouver, a memorial by Beth Alber stands in a city park, commemorating the lives lost.

Marc Lépine: A Troubled Life

Marc Lépine was born Gamil Rodrigue Liass Gharbi, the son of a French-Canadian mother and an Algerian father. His upbringing was marred by his father's abuse and misogyny. At 14, he changed his name to distance himself from his father. Lépine struggled academically and personally, harboring resentment towards feminists and women in non-traditional roles. Despite attempts to join the Canadian Army and pursue higher education, he faced rejection and isolation.

The Suicide Letter

On the day of the massacre, Lépine wrote three letters, including a suicide note found on his body. The note, later leaked, revealed his hatred for feminists whom he blamed for ruining his life, and included a list of women he deemed "radical feminists." The letter drew parallels to another infamous attack by Denis Lortie, highlighting Lépine's distorted worldview.

A Nation's Reflection

The massacre forced Canada to confront issues of misogyny and violence against women. While no public inquiry was held, the event remains a somber reminder of the societal changes still needed. The anniversary of the massacre is now commemorated as the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, ensuring the legacy of those lost continues to inspire change.

Sources

For further information, visit the original article on Wikipedia.