Hey Mike here I just wanted to let you know that you can listen to dark poutine early and add free on amazon music included with prime. Welcome back to dark poutine I am Mike Brown and I am Matthew Stockton we're here we're here to take you to the edge. Yes exactly you are looking very you mentioned very ice creamy today Neapolitan ice cream colored shirt yes yeah you're a fancy fancy man I even bought shoes to match yes I saw a nice pink shoes some pink loafers very very cute thank you the views information and opinions expressed during the dark poutine podcast are solely those of the producer and do not necessarily represent those of curious cast it's affiliate global news nor their parent company chorus entertainment. 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[Music] [Music] In April 2014 the tragic shooting occurred at a sawmill in the naimo British Columbia Kevin Douglas Addison 47 a former employee opened fire at the western forest products mill killing Michael Lund 61 and Fred McCleckern 53 and injuring two others Earl Kelly and Tony Sedar Addison was charged with two counts of first degree murder and two counts of attempted murder Kevin Addison's actions shook the tight knit in the naimo community and highlighted critical issues surrounding workplace violence and safety in industrial settings this is dark poutine episode 323 the 2014 the naimo mill shooting we mentioned the word the naimo concerning a certain sweet treat in the introduction of every episode but rarely mention the Vancouver Island city otherwise in particular the naimo is the setting of the still unsolved disappearance of Lisa Marie young her case was the topic of dark poutine episode 206 and told masterfully in long form in the podcast island crime by Laura Palmer thank you. So you're doing the twin peaks music Laura she probably hears that all the time but yeah I cannot hear Laura Palmer and not think twin peaks. I'm sure she's heard that pretty much her whole life. Oh dear but no it's a fantastic show so check it out and she's done multiple seasons of it now so it's well worth checking out. Oh her show I think I meant to in peace. Well that too. >> The naimo is a city on the east coast of Vancouver Island BC. It has a rich history deeply rooted in its indigenous heritage and coal mining past. The name Naimo is derived from the Naimo's first nation's word naimo meaning a big strong tribe or gathering place of a great people. It was initially mispronounced by European settlers as naimo in 1860 replacing the earlier name Colville town. The naimo's a Coast Salish nation are the original inhabitants of the naimo region. Their traditional territory encompasses the area around the naimo harbor and surrounding lands. These people have a long standing connection with the land. With a rich cultural heritage that includes intricate weaving wood carving and ceremonial practices. Naimo's history as a European settlement began in 1849 when the Hudson's Bay Company established a fortified trading post in the area. The discovery of coal deposits in 1852 led to the permanent settlement of miners and their families and was initially as we mentioned known as Colville town. In the following decades, the naimo experienced rapid growth as a coal mining town. The Vancouver coal mining and land company took over operations in 1862 expanding the industry. The completion of the Esquimalt and Naimo railway in 1886 further fueled Naimo's development facilitating the transportation of coal and other resources. Coal mining remained the naimo's primary industry until the last mine closed in 1953. Subsequently, the city's economy diversified focusing on industries such as forestry, fishing, shipbuilding and tourism. The establishment of a pulp and paper mill in 1950 and the growth of the service sector contributed to the naimo's economic transformation. Today, Naimo is a vibrant city celebrating its rich heritage while embracing a diverse economy and modern amenities. This, the naimo's first nation continues to play a vital role in preserving and sharing their cultural traditions with the broader community. Western Forest Products, the company at whose mill the shooting in this episode occurred, has a long history in the forestry industry of British Columbia with its roots tracing back to 1954 when it was founded as Western Woods. In 2004, the company underwent a significant transformation acquiring assets from domino industries and rebranding as Western Forest Products Inc. Over the next few years, Western Forest Products began restructuring activities including closing its silver tree mill in 2005, exiting the pulp business in 2006 and ceasing operations at its Duke Point log merchandiser. These moves were aimed at streamlining operations and focusing on the company's core lumber business. Western Forest Products then expanded its operations through two significant acquisitions in 2006. First, it purchased the Englewood Logging Division consisting of Tree Farm License 37 on Vancouver Island and related assets for $45 million. Later that year, the company acquired Cascadia Forest Products from Trylon Bancorp Inc. for $202 million, making it one of the largest lumber producers on the British Columbia coast with four specialized sawmills and an annual production capacity of approximately 570 million board feet. That's a lot of board feet. That's a big, big amount of board feet. Forestry is really like, it's actually, it's not a big, big part of the GDP, but it's huge for exports. Like something like 30% of BC's exports is forest related products. It used to be much larger. Yeah. It used to be much larger, but it hasn't, that has shrunk. Do you know what our biggest GDP is? I don't know now, no. Condo sales. It's true. There's no way it can't be. Yep. Following their major acquisitions, Western Forest Products consolidated its operations, centralizing logging operations in Campbell River and sales organizations in Vancouver. The company also closed its new Westminster sawmill in 2007 and undertook a further restructuring in 2009 and 2010 to address weak lumber markets resulting in organizational challenges, plant downtime, headcount reductions and relocating its corporate office to Vancouver. Western Forest Products has a long standing presence in Nanaimo, with its operations playing a significant role in the city's forestry industry. The mill on Nanaimo's assembly wharf exported products to the UK, Japan, India, Australia and Argentina using five types of sustainable wood, western red cedar, hemlock/fur, Douglas fir, yellow cedar and Sitka spruce. In December 2008, the decision was made to close the Nanaimo mill for economic reasons, resulting in layoffs for all 150 unionized employees. Management offered advice about alternative employment within the company, but the main focus was encouraging employees to seek other opportunities. Among those laid off at the time was 42-year-old Kevin Douglas Addison. Kevin Addison worked in the production and maintenance departments at the mill since the 1980s. After his layoff, Addison took a custodial job at a regional hospital. In November 2010, just under two years later, the mill reopened, with only 41 workers initially re-hired based on seniority. Unfortunately, according to court records, Kevin Addison did not make the cut. He was number 42 on the list. Addison later spoke about the impact of the perceived snub. "I had 22 years in at the time, you know, I believed in unions and I didn't feel it was right that they didn't follow seniority. You know, the last in the first out is what we always went by. I've been through layoffs many times and recalls and always went by seniority, and this time they didn't go by seniority. They picked who they wanted to come back. I was crushed. I actually phoned in sick for a couple of days at the hospital. I couldn't work. I couldn't talk to people. I just laid on my couch for four or five days in my house and actually thought about killing myself at the moment." He quickly became resentful, believing management hired people off the street with no mill experience violating the collective agreement. Addison's outward reaction was unremarkable. He expressed frustration to his local union chief, but his behavior was typical of others in the same situation. He never made threats, yelled, or swore vengeance. His reaction was that of a well-adjusted person and was not disproportionate, aggressive, or alarming. The United Steelworkers Union he belonged to filed a grievance on his behalf, but it was eventually abandoned, probably for lack of evidence. You called this a perceived snub and it sounds like that's what it was. This is all in his head. They did hire back by seniority. He just was too far down the line of seniority. Yeah, like one person. Yeah, which is, you know, that's sad, but that's the breaks. That's the way it happens. By all accounts, Kevin Addison was a diligent and competent worker with no reprimands in his employment file, and he did not abuse alcohol or drugs. Yet no prior criminal convictions or history of violent behavior. Those who knew him described him as a soft-spoken man, not prone to demonstrative behavior. Nothing in his background could have foreshadowed the murderous violence he later unleashed. Kevin Addison eventually moved on from the unfortunate situation at the Nanaimo Mill and continued with his life. Rather than settle for a job locally that didn't utilize his skills, he took a mill position in Fort St. James, where he was reportedly a valued employee. In May 2013, Western Forest Products needed additional staff at their Lady Smith Mill, and Addison jumped at the chance successfully securing one of the openings. He returned to a good job with solid prospects in his hometown and was well-liked and respected by his Lady Smith colleagues. Unfortunately, in late 2013 and early 2014, Addison seemed to fall into a depression. During a clinical consultation on January 14, 2014, he presented to his family doctor, weeping, and despondent. He expressed being depressed ever since not being rehired at the Nanaimo Mill and complained that the union had not supported him. Evidence of his depression was also confirmed by his late mother who later stated in a video recorded police interview that her son had been extremely low around Christmas 2013, crying uncontrollably and refusing to answer his phone or leave his house. On February 3, 2014, Kevin Addison unexpectedly stopped showing up for work at the Lady Smith Mill. This was out of character for him. Three groups of union members and management visited Kevin Addison at home trying to reason with him as they thought something was wrong and they wanted to help. One manager told Kevin that he was making a bad choice by quitting, that he needed the job to support himself and his daughter, and that he would not find better work in the region. Addison said that he had nothing against the Lady Smith operation or its people, but he had to quit anyway. He stated that Western Forest products had "fucked him over" and he could not work for the company anymore, referring to what had happened at the Nanaimo Mill years prior. Why can't he get over this? There seems to be a real deep sense of entitlement or something with this guy. You know, like shit happens in life. You take your knocks and you move on, right? And at this point, just holding onto that and quitting your job, he's hoisting himself on his own potard at this point. You might want to explain the word "potard" for those who are not up on their Shakespeare. So it's from Hamlet, actually, and off the ground by his own bomb. So, "potard" is a small bomb, so essentially he's blowing himself up. Yeah, and there's a Parisian French slang for "potard" is like a hot ass as well. Oh, sort of like a petuit. Yeah, so he's blowing himself up, yep. A storm was brewing in Kevin Addison's mind. For everyone else, it was just a start of another day at the Western Forest Products Mill, when on the morning of April 30th, 2014, Kevin Addison arrived just before 7 a.m. and opened fire with a sawed-off pump-action shotgun. Michael Lauter, a longtime security guard and a 16-year employee at the Western Forest Products Mill later told police he had seen a man in the mill's parking lot with an emotionless demeanor approaching Michael Lunt from behind in the sawmill parking lot. Right arm outstretched before the unmistakable sound of gunfire rang out. Lauter took cover after hearing the blast, but emerged moments later to find Michael Lunt lying motionless on his back, suffering from grave wounds to his right arm in the back of his head. Lauter knew immediately upon seeing Michael Lunt that he'd passed away. Lunt was lying face up with open eyes, and it appeared to Lauter that the back of his head had suffered severe damage. There was a lot of blood. Lauter recounted how the events unfolded in a mere fraction of a second after he noticed the individual out of the corner of his eye. There was a bang and it was over, just like that. He did not recognize the shooter, but described him as appearing frozen, his face expressionless. The man seemed rigid and intensely focused. He said the man was, quote, "like a goddamn zombie." After shooting Michael Lunt in the gravel parking lot, leaving him to die, Addison proceeded directly to the administration office, and the first person he encountered was Tony Siddhar, whom he shot in the face without even knowing who he was. At the time, Tony was the vice president of manufacturing at Western Forest Products. Addison then turned his weapon toward Earl Kelly's office, where Fred McEckern happened to be standing. From just a few feet away, Addison shot McEckern in the back, likely as McEckern reflexively turned away as Addison approached him. Earl Kelly is stranger to Addison with no prior quarrel with the man, dove for cover behind his desk, but Addison still shot at him as he went down. At that point, Andrew Andy Vonger, the mill manager, grabbed Addison and successfully wrestled him to the floor. Jeepers, creepers. Thank you, Andy. That's the hero right there. Yeah, right? Whenever you hear, you know, there's a shooter or something and they kill so many people. I'm unfortunately, maybe fortunately, maybe unfortunately, depending if I survived it, the type of person that would fling myself at a person like that. I'm the type of person. If there's a fight that starts, I chuck myself into the middle of it to pull people apart. Now, I didn't mention this in the script, but it's something that I just recalled. This guy did talk as he was shooting at people. The thing that stood out the most for me was you know who I am. Yes, because you're big and important. After realizing he could not help Michael Lunn, Michael Lauter, ran into the office to warn others about what he'd seen but was too late. Vonger had the gunman pinned to the ground and was yelling, "Call 911. Call 911." Police arrived within three minutes after receiving the call about an act of shooting expecting to find chaos, but the scene was eerily quiet. Nanaimo RCMP Constable Paul Minkley was the first to arrive and went inside to find the shooter Kevin Douglas Addison being held down on the floor by Andy Vonger and sitting on top of a sawed-off shotgun. Constable David Buchanan arrived soon after. Emotionless, Addison was arrested and cuffed without incident. He was then transported to the Nanaimo RCMP Detachment. For global news, quote, "The victims were transported to hospital via ground and air. One person was airlifted to Victoria General Hospital, while the other three were taken to Nanaimo Regional Hospital. On arrival at the hospital, two were pronounced deceased." End quote. In the script, I posted a couple of pictures of these guys. They looked like regular folk, you know, just regular guys, the two guys who died, Fred McKechern and Michael Lunn. I can't help but think, "No, you're just a dude going to work at your job at the mill and you have no clue that some nut bar is going to come in there and shoot you for something that happened years before." Yeah, it's not like they're in a dangerous place where there's something could happen or even not even like they're walking down a city street on a dark night, right? No, they're at work. It's another work day. I mean, a sawmill can be a pretty dangerous place, but for other reasons. It's another work day. You're just going to work and they probably had no grudge against the sky at all, at all. News of the shooting made its way around the small city quickly and thanks to the media soon the nation knew. Amrit Johall, whose father worked at the mill, spoke to Global News. She said her dad heard the gunshots, "They're all quite a bit shaken up, obviously," she said. "My dad sounds a bit shaken up, so I'm sure the rest of them are feeling the same. All are in a lot of shock right now." The Naimo Kawachan MP Gene Crowder expressed condolences to the friends and families of those injured and killed. "Like all Canadians, I was saddened to hear about the incident at Western Forest Products sawmill and share your distress. The Naimo and the surrounding communities are very close knit, and I am comforted by the knowledge that in the midst of this tragedy we will find strength and solace in each other." Ken Georgetti, the President of the Canadian Labor Congress, extended his deepest sympathies to the victims and their families and friends, particularly those who lost loved ones. He acknowledged the United Steel Workers Union members employed at the mill and expressed confidence the union would offer full support during this deeply unfortunate event. The USW Local stated it was working with the company to ensure the victims, families and all employees have access to grief counseling and necessary services. The shootings occurred just days after the day of mourning commemoration for workers killed or injured on the job. Premier Christi Clark called it a "horrible tragedy" stating "most cannot fathom what victims and families endure, but that the people of British Columbia stood with them during that unimaginable time." Prime Minister Stephen Harper kept his response short, tweeting, quote, "tragic news out of Naimo, thoughts are with the friends and families of the victims," end quote, and he did #canpoly as well, so Canadian politics. Thoughts and prayer. Yeah, what a twit. It's never a fan of Stephen Harper and his dumb hair. I told you before we started to record that my friend always said that Stephen Harper's hair was actually an alien that essentially used Stephen Harper's body to run the country. The hair would say, "Stephen Harper, we are going to make bad decisions." And he's probably true. He had those cold, dead eyes. Yeah, he was probably a zombie. He's probably some form of automaton. Kevin Douglas Addison was charged with two counts of first degree murder and two counts of attempted murder. Addison pleaded not guilty and was held for trial, more after a quick break. After dark myths, misdeeds and the paranormal is a podcast that delves into the dark side of history. Expect murder and conspiracy, ghosts and witches. I'm Antony Delaney and I'm Maddie Pelling. We're historians and the hosts of After Dark from History Hit, where every Monday and Thursday we enter the shadows of the past. We set sail on Victorian ghost chips, learn the truth about the Knights Templar, and walk the grimy streets of Victorian London in search of a serial killer. Discover the secrets of the darker side of history twice a week, every week, on After Dark from History Hit, wherever you get your podcasts. Can't get enough true crime. Do you have what it takes to be a detective? Listen to Cold Tapes, the hit murder mystery podcast where you must solve the case. A British scientist is found dead on a remote Antarctic research station. Listen to police interviews, secret recordings and the victim's explosive audio diaries and see if you can piece together the clues to crack the case and stake your claim on a £10,000 cash reward. Search Cold Tapes wherever you get your podcasts or visit coldtapes.com to subscribe today. Teas and C's apply. And we are back, Matthew, thoughts so far? Yeah, I mean, we started talking about it earlier. You know, these guys are just going to work. My thought, generally, is I really don't like this guy. He has a deep sense of self-importance and that he's owed something, right? The word is overused, but these are narcissistic tendencies that we're seeing, you know? Yeah, and to do something like that, because you've held on to something, sure, it sucked, and to murder people because you didn't have a job. Right. Even though you have another job. I do understand resentment. Don't get me wrong. I understand resentment and understand holding on to a grudge because I have done that in my life. No. Yes. Funnily enough, a wise person once told me that resentment is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die. Ultimately, the only person you're truly destroying is yourself unless your resentment leads you to take action like this twit. Yeah, it's, you know, I'm pretty good at not having resentments. I realized one day I was sitting there, just sitting at home or something, right? And then I realized I was sort of bad-mapping somebody, an old boss of mine in my head that I couldn't stand. And at my age, it occurred to me that 100%, that person is dead. He would have died of old age by now. And I'm like, "Why am I holding on to this resentment of somebody who's literally no longer on the planet?" Right. And that sort of shook me into, "Wow, that's how absolutely useless resentments are." Right. According to his obituary, Michael John Lunn was a cherished husband, father, grandfather, son, brother, uncle, and friend to many. He was born in 1952 in Victoria to Eileen and Nick Lunn and was the only boy among seven sisters, Carol, Linda, Pam, Terry, Nikki, Dawn, and Holly. Michael met his future wife, Marlene Helm, while working at the Starlight Drive-In, and they married in 1970. Together, they had three children, Mark, Mitchell, and Marcy. And later seven grandchildren, Paige, Dion, Carter, Joshua, Janay, Krishna, and Braden. Michael dedicated 34 years of his career to western forest products in Nanaimo, where he served as the plant chairman for over 30 years. He was known for his commitment to defending workers' rights and ensuring fair contracts, a challenge he embraced with passion and dedication. Michael was eagerly anticipating his retirement and planning to spend a traveling and camping with Marlene fulfilling their shared dreams. The obit continued, saying that friends and family who will miss Michael are too numerous to list as he significantly impacted many lives. A celebration of Michael's life was held on May 10, 2014 at 3 p.m. at Generations Church on Royal Avenue in Nanaimo with refreshments following. Michael was known for his red shirts, so attendees to Michael's funeral were asked to wear red to support the Red Shirt Foundation. This foundation was established to raise awareness about workplace violence and to transform "pain to purpose." Frederick James McEckern's obituary said he was a beloved husband, devoted father, and dear friend. Fred left behind his wife Lorraine, daughter Paige and her husband Dan, his son Tristan, and his sister Gail Hagen and her husband Andy, along with nephews Mike and Trev, his extended family also cherished him deeply. Born and raised in Victoria, Fred graduated from Oak Bay and continued his education at BCIT. He formed lasting friendships throughout his life and worked in the fishing and lumber industries, enjoying his job at Western Forest Products. Aki played a significant role in his life and he played and coached his children and others and continued playing with the grumpy rangers. Fred also enjoyed baseball, fishing, golfing, and camping. Fred was known for his practical approach to life. His love for family and friends, his enjoyment of the occasional beer in a cigar, is untimely passing left his loved ones devastated. A celebration of Fred's life was held on May 10, 2014 at Bebben Park Social Center in Nanaimo, and in his memory donations were encouraged to be made to a charity of the sender's choice. Listen to all of this, I'm thinking these are just two hardworking regular blokes, could be any of us. They'd gone through ups and downs of this industry that they're in. And you know me Mike, for many years I took a lot of self, sort of definition of self in what I do in my job. Right, and you know, but they took those ups and downs and inevitably they had ups and downs in life as well, outside of work, you know, we all do. And sometimes they did well and sometimes they probably struggled, but they always picked themselves up, dusted themselves off and just kept going, right? And they were at work, they're at work making a living to look after their families and they're murdered there just because of some manchild who obviously had some sense of entitlement who couldn't pick himself and pick himself up, pick himself up, dust himself off and get on with his life. In the wake of the shootings, Western Forest products swiftly implemented various measures to support its employees and address the immediate aftermath. The company prioritized providing grief counseling and support services to help employees cope with the trauma of the event as stated by the company's president and CEO Don Demens. Additionally, the company took the significant step of temporarily closing all its sawmills on Vancouver Island, allowing employees time to process the incident and ensuring their safety and well-being. Furthermore, Premier Christie Clark confirmed that victim support services were made available to workers and their families, offering immediate assistance and emotional support to those deeply affected by the tragedy. These comprehensive measures demonstrated Western Forest products' commitment to addressing the profound impact of the shootings on its workforce and the broader community. So, first of all, it's interesting that they closed all of their mouth. Not just that one. That somebody kind of going, "You know what? This is going to be hard." That's somebody understanding that this is going to have an effect on people and doing the right thing. And I think it was not just a decent thing to do, but it makes good business sense. Totally. If you think about it, ensuring your employees are healthy both physically and mentally is important on an ethical standard, in my opinion, but also on business as well. It's also smart for hanging on to employees in long-term productivity. Absolutely. So, it's one of those things that is just all round good for everybody. It's putting their money, essentially, where their mouth is. We know that this is affecting everybody in the company, and so we're going to close all the mills down to ensure everybody is okay. And let people talk and figure out this horrible thing together. 100%. And I kudos to Western Forest Products for doing that kudos to them. Dr. Dan Strathoff, a forensic pathologist, conducted autopsy on Michael Lund and Earl McCackern on May 7, 2014. He provided detailed findings regarding their injuries and causes of death. In Michael Lund's case, the entrance gunshot wound was located on the back of the right upper arm. This wound resulted in significant bleeding and tissue damage to the right upper arm and armpit areas. The cause of Michael's death was determined to be a single gunshot wound to the right arm and chest, causing extensive damage to both lungs. Shot gunshot fragments were found in the left chest cavity near the left lung. The shotgun wound led to air leakage from the lungs into the surrounding space, collapsing the lungs and impairing respiration. A small amount of blood was present in his body, suggesting that blood had drained out through the shotgun wounds. And Strathoff estimated that without proper medical intervention, death would occur within minutes due to the severity of the injuries. As for Earl McCackern, his cause of death was attributed to a gunshot wound to the abdomen. The entrance wound was located on the right side of the lower back area, resulting in injuries to the right diaphragm, liver, and intestine. Additionally, approximately 425 milliliters of blood were found in McCackern's abdominal cavity. The liver sustained significant damage, which Strathoff indicated would lead to substantial bleeding. A May 8, 2014, McLean's magazine published an article titled "The Shootings at Western Forest in Nanaimo Point to a Bigger Problem" by Ken McQueen and Cara McKenna. The article highlighted that the Western Forest products' meal shooting reflects broader issues within the forest industry and community emphasizing the prevalence and impact of workplace violence in Canada. A 2004 survey found that 17% of self-reported, violent victimization occurred in Canadian workplaces, though experts believe this under-represents the true scale due to under-reporting and a narrow definition of violence. While gun violence in workplaces is rare, Canada has seen several high-profile incidents, including the meal shooting in Nanaimo. More common are deadly assaults triggered by workplace disputes, mental illness, or domestic issues. High-risk occupations include cashiers, healthcare staff, nurses' doctors, orderlies, and those dealing with unstable individuals, police, paramedics. Factors such as working alone, layoffs, and estranged relationships also increase the risks. I really feel for cashiers. A lot of them making the minimum wage, right? Yeah. And I always stand up for cashier, and some a-hole is either an a-hole in general, or somebody having a bad day starts yelling at a cashier, I always stand up for them. I try to be super nice to cashiers. I try to smile and say thank you and have a great day before they do. But my local cashiers are like, "Your favorite customer?" And one of them calls me, "Hi, Mr. 10 out of 10." Oh, because you say that all the time. How are you today? 10 out of 10? Yeah, so she started calling me Mr. 10 out of 10. That should be your t-shirt, 10 out of 10. Matthew says he's 10 out of 10. And I don't mean in looks. I mean in happiness. Well, you know, you're taking care of yourself in good ways lately, Mr. Man, so you're doing pretty good. Oh, six out of push. [laughter] Oh. David Hyde, a security consultant, noted the lasting emotional trauma of such incidents with victims often unable to return to work and developing PTSD. He stressed the importance of better tracking workplace violence data and conducting risk assessments to identify and address potential threats before they escalate. In Addison's September 2016 trial, the Crown painted a picture of a resentful man who carefully planned out the shooting and subsequent murders. The defense said Addison was delusional and suffering from disordered thinking at the time of the shooting and was incapable of knowing or planning what he did. Of course they did. Yeah, it's the same old song and dance. Yeah, well, it's such a crazy thing that a person did. Yeah, if I did something wrong and I didn't want to get caught, first of all, I wouldn't do something risk. Certainly, I'd fast up if I did. You want to get defense? That's where they start, right? Yeah. They're doing their job. Yeah. In dramatic testimony, Kevin Addison related his version of what had occurred, claiming he'd gone to the mill with his gun simply to confront Andy Vonger, the mill manager. He wanted to know why Andy ruined his career. He said he had no fixed plan to do anything that day. Michael Lunn, he said, he intended only to wound when he saw him. He said that the shots that had killed Fred McKechern and wounded Fred Kelly were not intentional. He denied entirely shooting Tony Sudar, saying only that the gun had gone off as Andy Vonger tried to wrestle it away from him. I only intended to wound. Oh, oh, okay. Well, that's okay then. He even claimed that he didn't even know Michael Lunn was going to be there that day. Blah, blah, blah, blah. Yeah, and we'll learn more about that in a little bit. Under cross-examination, Kevin Addison, of course, veered away from any responsibility for what had happened. Addison said, I don't know what happened to me that day. I'll never understand what happened to me that day. Addison said when asked if he felt anything, he replied, I don't remember. I didn't even know Mike was going to be there. He just drove up describing shooting Michael Lunn. He said, quote, I thought to myself, you don't need that fucking arm anymore. I remember him falling and I was walking away outside the courtroom. Marcy Lunn, Michael's daughter, said, quote, it's hard hearing that you look at somebody and then you shot him. That was the hard part. And then you watch my father fall to the ground, end quote. It'd be so hard to hear the details in court like that and damn it, I feel for her. Yeah. Right? You know, if someone I love got murdered, I don't know if I'd want to hear any of it. I would. Or if I'd want to be in court for every single second staring down the person and I don't think there would be an in between. I honestly don't know Mike. It'd be one or the other. It'd be no in between. And I hopefully never have to find it. There'd be no in between for me and I know I would be the guy there burning a hole in the back of that guy's head while he was sitting at the defense table and hoping he turns around and makes eye contact with me. You could also understand just not even want to be wanting to be there, right? I can. Yeah. Absolutely. Paige Lunn, grandfather of victim Michael Lunn, had attended to hear the account of her grandfather's last moment stating he was my grandpa, but he was more like my dad. He was a fantastic father figure to me. Kevin Addison's claims of not knowing what he was doing rang hollow. Contradicting himself on the stand he also gave his motives for the shooting spree. He had grudges against three people he'd been involved with that morning. And two of them were now dead. Addison admitted that he believed Michael Lunn, a union representative on the plant committee, failed to represent him in his grievances against the company adequately. Addison thought Lunn and Andy Vonger, the mill manager, had made some sort of deal to ensure that he would not get rehired. Addison also believed that Fred McKechern, the mill supervisor and member of management, had prevented his rehiring by performing union labor, which Addison felt he should have been called back to do. This guy has absolutely no fortitude. He has no understanding that this world owes you absolutely nothing. Right. Yeah. Like that's the one take a way about this guy is feeble-minded, self-centered, thinking the world owes him everything, and no fortitude, no strength. Addison also admitted how in preparation for the confrontation, he'd sought off the barrel of his 12-gauge shotgun, cut off the stalk, removed a hunting dowel from the magazine, and loaded the firearm to its maximum capacity of five shells. He grabbed a handful of additional cartridges and put them in his pockets, indicating an intention to reload if necessary during the mayhem he had resolved to create. He got a hole in the right front of his pocket of his blue jeans to conceal the modified shotgun in his trouser leg, and he even filed down the barrel remnants so it would not scratch his leg as he walked. I don't know about you, but these do not sound like the actions of a man who didn't plan to do something terrible. Kevin Addison then described in detail the route he took walking down to the mill, arriving just before 7 a.m. when he knew the day shift started. After the defense rested and closing arguments were done, the jury was sent to deliberate. It didn't take long before they brought back guilty verdicts on all counts. Addison's sentencing just as Baird threw the book at the convicted killer. Baird said in part quote, "The fact that Mr. Addison's violent rampage did not result in four counts of first-degree murder has everything to do with good luck and fortune and precisely nothing to do with any restraint or forbearance on his part. Both of these victims were complete strangers. The offender had no connection with either of them. The violence against them was not only extreme, as was that levied against Mr. Lund and Mr. McEckern, it was also completely random and gratuitous." Justice Baird continued, "The present case involved the planned, systematic and ruthless hunting down of human individuals as they went about their innocent daily affairs and occupations. In my judgment, the jury's first-degree murder verdicts are unimpeachable, and the penalty that law requires to be imposed on Mr. Addison while severe is just and wholly deserved." In a similar vein, the gravity of the attempted murder offenses committed as they were in the midst of this appalling spree of willful, senseless, gratuitous violence and bloodshed is extreme. The offender's moral responsibility given the planned and deliberate nature of this sustained and intentional conduct and the precision and determination with which he executed his homicidal ambitions is of highest order. I have concluded that in all of the circumstances, a life sentence on each attempted murder count is the only fit and proportionate sentence available." For the murders of Michael Lund and Fred McEckern, Addison was sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole for 25 years and a life sentence was added for each of the attempted murders of Earl Kelly and Tony Sadar. All were to run concurrently. The judge added, "Consecutive life sentences are not a part of Canadian law for the good and sensible reason that an offender has but one life to live." Yeah, but some parole board will think he's had that good behavior and he's going to let him out in five years now. I don't know. I love hearing these like, "Oh, we're going to throw the book at you." Right? Well, they really did throw the book at this guy. He's trying to be progressive and not about it early. Oh, he has a farm that he needs to look after. He has a wife and kids. I doubt this guy has a farm that he needs. I'm just randomly sure that I'm ahead. But you know what I mean. It's like, ugh. After Addison's trial, along with two other RCMP officers lauded for other events, Sergeant Paul Minkley and Constable David Buchanan were awarded citations and medals for valor at BC's 35th annual police honors night. The ceremony held in Victoria recognized 56 officers from RCMP in municipal departments, and Minkley and Buchanan were honored for "placing themselves at substantial risk to enter a building to search for and apprehend an active shooter." During the Western Forest Products Mill shooting in 2014. Good for them. I hope Andy got some sort of commendation or something as well. Yeah, I'm not sure. I mean, if I'm the CEO of a company, which I am, but I mean, you know, it's a company of one, but if I'm the CEO of a company and I'm hypothetically saying I have employees, and one of them does something like Andy Vonger did. Andy's employee of the month, if not employee of the year. Andy's employed for life, right? Yeah, right. Yeah, Andy's getting an extra week of vacation this year, you know, like all of that. The Western Forest Products Saw Mill in the downtown area was permanently closed by the end of 2014 as part of the company's restructuring efforts. Since the closing of the downtown mill, Western Forest Products has centered its operations in Nanaimo around the Duke Point Saw Mill, one of the region's largest coastal sawmills. In 2014, the company invested $10 million to modernize the facility and added a second shift after closing the downtown mill. In 2022, they announced a $35 million investment to install new continuous dry kilns at Duke Point to boost value added lumber production. The company has consolidated and modernized its operations on Vancouver Island, investing in sawmill upgrades and expanding value added manufacturing to stay competitive globally. Their commitment to Nanaimo is evident through ongoing investments and adaptations to market changes. In recent years, Western Forest Products have focused on operational improvements, cost reduction, and system enhancements. They've sold their non-core assets to pay down debt and invested in modernizing facilities such as the 2022 kiln installation at Duke Point. The company operates eight sawmills with an annual capacity of 1.1 billion board feet, so double what they were before. It maintains a strong presence in British Columbia's coastal regions, emphasizing sustainable forestry and partnerships with indigenous communities. Good for them. The hard truth of business is that it's ever-changing and you have to keep competitive. Sometimes that hits the workforce, but the flip side of that is, without these changes, you end up going under and nobody has a job. What I was much younger, I was quite vehemently anti-union, but as I got older, I realized that sometimes unions can go too far in one direction. I think companies can go too far in the other, and especially with places like this, labor work. Having an honest open discussion from both sides and striking a balance is the best route, because a union and a company that works well together can do a little bit of push and pull and actually get to a very good place. Yep, totally. Totally. I wish there was a Podcaster Gilder Union or something that I could join, because when I was in the Director's Guild, the DGC Director's Guild of Canada, I had healthcare, dental, all of that kind of stuff. Now, I'm going to take care of all that myself. It's a little rough. I'm the same. I'm self-employed. I'm like, "Okay, my six-monthly dentist appointments will be too yearly now." Yes, exactly. But we want to thank you to Yumberyard member Cindy Lefler of Nearby Lady Smith BC mentioned in this episode. She suggested this case for us. I love Cindy Lefler as much as ice hockey fans like Gila Fleur. Oh, there you go. Does she wear a number 10 in the Yumberyard, just like Gila Fleur did? I have no idea, but she's great. Gila Fleur apparently used to smoke in the penalty box. Well, what was it, the '70s? Yes, somebody... I don't know if that's a myth, but... If it was the '70s, maybe '60s, then it's almost a given myth. Someone said he smoked like 10 packs of cigarettes a day, that guy. That's it for "Dark Poutine" episode 323, the Nanaimo Mill shooting, the 2014 Nanaimo Mill shooting. Before we move on to voicemails, I wanted to tell my own Nanaimo story. I have a family connection to the city. My great-uncle, Carmen Brown, was a well-known doctor in the Nanaimo through the mid-1900s. Sounds like a long time ago. He was also a longtime bagpiper who played at numerous community and private events. In 1976, my family visited BC from Nova Scotia. My dad was at a veterinary conference in Richmond. We traveled from Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo by ferry. Was that that visit where you have that picture where you're acting up in the rest of your family? Yes, sorry, so corrupt. Yes, it is. So we visited Uncle Carmen and his second wife, whose name escapes me, and I feel terrible about it. I didn't ask dad or anything, I could have, I'm sure, but he forgets stuff now, too. So I recall their home, though. It stands out in my memory. Carmen deeply loved Japanese culture, and his home was decorated, and their garden was landscaped in traditional Japanese design. It was beautiful. My sister Rachel and I played on the shore near their house, and gathered oyster shells which we took home to Nova Scotia and had three years later. What I didn't know until much later was that there had been a family tragedy. On July 12, 1955, Uncle Carmen's 16-year-old son Douglas, my dad's first cousin, was killed in a motorcycle accident. The next day, in a brief article, the province newspaper reported Douglas's death. "Boy injured in motorcycle accident dies, Nanaimo. Douglas Brown, 16-year-old son of Dr. Carmen Brown, 297 Macleary Street, died in Nanaimo Hospital Tuesday, an hour and a half after being thrown from his motorcycle on Terminal Avenue. The boy who was riding out of Safeway's parking lot at 9.30pm, hit the street curb at the far corner of the lot and was thrown to the concrete, sustaining chest injuries. He worked at John Murdoch's service station on Front Street during holidays from senior high school. An inquest has been ordered, but no date set." So I'm not sure about the inquest results. They weren't published anywhere. But I recall my dad talking about the accident many years later. I think I was an adult by that time. And dad was also a motorcycle rider at the time that his cousin, Douglas, died. Only you're younger. And so it really kind of hit dad hard. I had two ex-colleagues friends who died on a motorcycle accident horribly. And we're buried together on their first-year wedding anniversary. Oh my God. I know. Oh my God, that is horrendous. Yeah. So do you have any Nanaimo stories, maybe something a little lighter? Yeah, I'll share my Nanaimo. I'll share my Nanaimo story too. Okay. I drove through it once on my way to Comox. There you go. So that's your Nanaimo story. Yeah. Oh boy. So I really do want to visit the city soon and maybe we'll have a meet up there too. We've already met up in Victoria a couple of times now. So I think it's time to give Nanaimo some love. So seriously, we've been saying this and let's commit to July or August. So I need you to look at the calendar. It's going to be August. Okay. Let's do it. And because I want to eat in a Nanaimo bar in Nanaimo. Maybe we want to eat in the Nanaimo bar in the Nanaimo bar. That'd be fun. That'd be really funny. And I'll bring Steve. So if we do a meet up, we can either meet up where they allow dogs or Steve can stay in the hotel room for a little while. It'll be fun. It'll be fun. There's, yeah. Me and you in the car and Steve will take the fare across and be great. Yeah, totally. Yeah. I think that is a great idea. Cool. Okay. August sometime. Book it. Okay. Let's start talking about it in the umbre yard. And now people will hear this and say, "Why are we all at?" It's always like people want to meet up and then we pick a date and they're like, "I'm out of town." I was like, "Fuck you guys." I'm not going to put that in there. Sorry. That slipped out. I'm having fun. Yeah. So, yeah. I'm like, "We want to include everybody that we possibly can, but, you know, it's really hard." Yeah. It's difficult. But, yeah. Let's just, you do it first. Plop it in the yard and we'll figure out a weekend. Plop it in the yard. Yeah. What are we going to do? We're going to plop it in the yard, Matt. That really sounds like, that sounds like something the dog does. He plops it in the yard. Instead of go shit in your hat, go shit in your yard. Go plop it in the yard. Go plop it in the yard. What's wrong with you? Go plop it in the yard. Oh my gosh. Or if somebody completely messes something up, "Oh, he really plopped in the yard." You got something to say? Go plop it in the yard. I think we have another T-shirt. Go plop it in the yard. Go plop it in the yard. Oh dear. Well, you know, it is what it is. Go plop it in the yard. You, what's wrong with you? Go plop. I need to stop. I need to, I need to stop. Stop before you plop. Stop before you plop. PSA from Mike and Matthew, stop before you plop. Don't just plop as you run along because that can get messy. Oh geez. Stop plop and roll. Too far, Mike. Too far. Oh, there's no such thing as too far with me. You just carry on. You just carry on Galey, Matthew. Galey forward. That's right. It's time for voicemails. You can leave us a message at 1-877-327-5786 or 1-877-D-A-R-K-P-T-N. We'd love to hear from you. Let's see who called us this week. We had someone call us back from Nova Scotia and your call broke up terribly. The message garbled. But you were going to tell us about women and children first. Something like that. So can you call back please because I really... Call us back please. But when you call, call us from inside a house. The call is coming from inside. Maybe not in a moving car or a bus. Yeah, we couldn't hear you at all. It sounded like she was parachuting. Maybe she was. I'm back. Hopefully it opened. The call was three minutes, so terminal velocity. Call back. Call back. Yes, please. Okay, let's try this one. Gentlemen, it's there in the truck driver call. It's been a couple of years since I called. You may recall the whole perineum. And we came to Virginia discussion. Anyway, I just heard your podcast where you discussed the thumbhole of Ontario. And I think we should all call in and dominate places that we think are qualified. So I'm going to qualify in my hometown of Ingersoll, Ontario, which the locals affectionately call "fingerhole". Go poop in your tubes. Bye. So Ingersoll is the bumhole because it sounds like "fingerhole". Oh, yucky. There was this really weird... Still laughing over "fingerhole". People in Strathroy in our high school didn't like people from Ingersoll. Why? I don't know. That was like Bridgewater didn't like people from Chester. I agree with him. From a 1980s perspective, Ingersoll was the enemy. Okay. But it's not so bad. It's not so bad. Come on. Yeah. Yeah. If somebody else said it's got to be Oshawa. Yes. Ingersoll's halfway between London and Woodstick. Woodstick. Woodstock. Woodstock but we call it Woodstick. Woodstick. Oh no. Please don't call with hate. Matthew's from Ontario and I have no clue. I love all Ontario towns. Yeah. But yeah. If you want to nominate your own town, you're allowed to. You're allowed to nominate your own town of what the butthole of Ontario is. And I don't know why he's being so hard of an Ingersoll. I mean, at least he's not in Tilsonburg. Oh, I said it. Anyway, I don't even know what that is in reference to. And let's move forward. Here's our third voicemail. We did have three, but yeah, like we said, that other one went sideways. Hey, Mike and Matthew. It's Becky from good old Albert County New Brunswick. I'm just listening to the fireton shooting episode and. Yeah, you mentioned the bucket. Albert County is actually the birthplace of the Bakas motorcycle club, which is crazy. Love your show. I started listening to it years ago. And I'm actually going back and re listening to it. Total historical geek. Yeah, keep it up. Pets tall, the fur critters and. Yeah, I'm totally going to email you both. Thanks. I. Oh, sit in your hat. Go sit in your hat. Go plop in your yard. Go plop in your yard. You should plop that right in the yard. Have you watched the you've watched letter Kenny, right? I am actually going to resubscribe to crave because I didn't realize that it kept going. Yeah. I look at my eyes. They're rolling back and love letter Kenny so much. Yeah. Yeah, I think it's good. Today, just for fun. I started watching Shoresy, which is his other show. Is it good? It's funny, but if you don't understand hockey and hockey culture, you're not going to get it. Did I be sure that video of them saying happy birthday to me? No. Oh, so I had a super soft birthday party. You did. And a friend of mine got them to record in character. The two main guys in character recorded a happy birthday invitation party for me. Why didn't you post that in the umber yard? People would love to see that. Okay. Yeah. People will love to see that. Yeah, do that. That'd be fun. Frodo! Let's move on to Patreon and donut money donors. That's it for this week's voicemails. Again, you can leave us one at 1-877-327-5786 or 1-877-D-A-R-K-P-T-N. We'd love to hear from you, even if it is just to say hi and to tell us to go shit in our hats. If you're stumped for what to chat with us about, a quick story is welcome. All right. We have a new patron and her name is Desi Rose. Desi Rose. Desi Rose. And I think Desi might have been a patron before. Yeah, it looks like she's been a patron before, but she's back. She is back again. So she's from Port Townsend, California. Cool. Yeah, but maybe she's changed jobs since 2022 when she was first a patron. So what the heck do you think Desi Rose does there in Port Townsend, California, Matthew? I think Desi Rose, I think, is a tattoo artist and is willing to work for coffee. Okay. There you go. That's, you know, if it's before she's had her coffee, it's not quite as good. The art's not quite as good. Yeah. Yeah. It's a little shaky. It's a little shaky tattoo artist. And then if she has too much caffeine, it's even shakier. It's even shakier. Oh, no. So it's summertime. You and Steve are getting out and lots of walkies and that kind of thing. Yes, we are. And I'm wearing my sailor outfit tomorrow and taking him on the boat. Oh, that sounds really nice. Yeah. We don't have any donut money donors today, but that's okay. But thank you, Desi. But thank you, Desi. And thanks to everybody who has helped to keep this show going. Thanks to all our patrons and donut money donors past and present for your generosity. It helps to keep the show going. You can become a patron of darkpoutine at patreon.com/darkpoutine. For a one-time donation, you can send us donut money via PayPal using our email address darkpoutinepodcast@gmail.com. If you don't already subscribed to the show, it would mean a lot if you did. You can easily find darkpoutine on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. If you haven't gotten yours yet, my book Murder Madness in Mayhem is available to order via a link on the darkpoutine website. And speaking of darkpoutine.com, please check it out for show notes and other cool stuff. We'd appreciate it if you took the time to give darkpoutine a like or a follow on Facebook and Instagram. Most importantly, thank you for listening and tell your friends about us. Word of mouth is a powerful thing. And that is it for this episode of Darkpoutine. So until next time, don't forget to be a good egg and not a bad apple. Go plop in the yard. Bye everybody. [Music] [Music] On a night cold enough to freeze your bones. A prospector searching for a legendary cursed gold mine vanishes without a trace. I'm Crue Williams, the host of Dead Man's Curse. We retrace the steps of fortune seekers looking for a motherload worth billions who never came back. So come join our quest. Search for and follow Dead Man's cursed volcanic gold. On Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and wherever you find your favorite podcasts.
Episode 323: In April 2014, a tragic shooting occurred at a sawmill in Nanaimo, British Columbia. Kevin Douglas Addison, 47, a former employee, opened fire at the Western Forest Products mill, killing Michael Lunn, 61, and Fred McEachern, 53, and injuring two others, Earl Kelly and Tony Sudar. Addison was charged with two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder.
Addison's actions shook the tight-knit Nanaimo community and highlighted critical issues surrounding workplace violence and safety in industrial settings.
Sources:
History of Nanaimo
City History | Nanaimo Museum
Home | Western Forest Products
Western Forest Products | Wikipedia
Frederick McEACHERN Obituary (2014) - Nanaimo, BC - The Times Colonist
Michael Lunn Obituary (1952 - 2014) - Legacy Remembers
UPDATE: Charges laid in deadly Nanaimo shooting
2016 BCSC 2352 (CanLII) | R. v. Addison | CanLII
The shootings at Western Forest in Nanaimo point to a bigger problem
Nanaimo mill shooting | News, Videos & Articles | Global News
Kevin Addison tells court he shot four men at Nanaimo mill
Doctor details autopsy results of Nanaimo mill shooting victims during trial
Nanaimo mill shooter Addison’s name synonymous with ‘murderous violence’
Prosecutor relays chilling account of Nanaimo sawmill shooting
Man accused in fatal Nanaimo mill shooting testifies in court
Jul 13, 1955, page 16 - The Province at Newspapers.com
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