2014 Moncton Shootings: financing anti-government attacks

Attack Profile

The 2014 Moncton shootings was part of a series of events that brought right-wing extremism to the attention of Canadians. On June 4, 2014, a 24-year-old Moncton resident named Justin Bourque fatally shot 3 RCMP officers and severely injured 2 others. After a manhunt was launched, Bourque was eventually apprehended 28 hours later. In a police confession, he explained that he wanted to attack the RCMP to encourage a rebellion against the government. Bourque’s anti-government and anti-authority views foreshadowed a rise in far-right sentiment. As with all attacks, the Moncton shootings had a financial footprint that we’ll explore below after examining the perpetrator profile and the details of the shootings.

Justin Bourque

Justin Bourque was one of seven children that was raised and homeschooled in a religious household. After living most of his life with his parents and siblings, he was forced to move out of his home nearly two years before the shooting. Bourque’s father stated that his son’s purchase of a second firearm and his alleged inappropriate behaviour caused issues at home. Bourque was described by those close to him as holding anti-authority views and having mentioned a fascination with murdering other people. He posted frequently online about his anti-government views, some of which translated into conflict at the workplace. At the time of the shooting, Bourque had recently quit his job working at a grocery store and had been hired by a distribution warehouse . He also received a large income tax refund in May and used it primarily to pay outstanding bills in advance of his attack.