By Canadian Press

Inquiry into Afghanistan vet who killed family, self, to continue in Nova Scotia

Jan 28, 2020 | 5:29 AM

GUYSBOROUGH, N.S. — An inquiry into an Afghanistan war veteran who shot and killed three members of this family before turning the gun on himself continues today in Nova Scotia.

It’s the second full day of hearings for the inquiry into the case of Lionel Desmond, a 33-year-old former infantryman who killed his mother, wife and daughter before killing himself in January 2017.

The inquiry heard Monday that Desmond’s wife Shanna had told him to leave their home in rural Nova Scotia after a heated argument two days before the killings.

A lawyer representing doctors who tried to help Desmond said he followed his wife’s advice and went to an emergency room, where a psychiatrist described him as “pleasant” and “forthcoming.”

Desmond, a retired corporal, had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder after two particularly violent tours in Afghanistan in 2007.

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The inquiry will examine whether he had access to mental health and domestic violence services — and whether he should have been able to buy a rifle.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 28, 2020.

The Canadian Press