Marc Lépine
Marc Lépine (born Gamil Rodrigue Liass Gharbi) was a Canadian mass murderer who carried out the École Polytechnique massacre in Montreal on 6 December 1989.
Marc Lépine (born Gamil Rodrigue Liass Gharbi) was a Canadian mass murderer who carried out the École Polytechnique massacre in Montreal on 6 December 1989. He killed 14 women and injured 14 other people before taking his own life. The attack is widely described as an antifeminist or misogynistic hate crime.
Background
Marc Lépine was born in Montreal in 1964 under the name Gamil Rodrigue Liass Gharbi and later used the name Marc Lépine. Biographical details in the available sources are limited, but his later notoriety comes entirely from the 1989 massacre.
École Polytechnique massacre
On 6 December 1989, Lépine entered the École Polytechnique de Montréal armed with a semi-automatic rifle and a hunting knife. He ordered men and women to separate, targeted women, and killed 14 women before killing himself.
Motive and interpretation
Multiple sources describe the attack as antifeminist, misogynistic, or anti-women in nature. A letter left by Lépine is reported to have expressed hatred of feminists and was used to interpret the attack as ideologically motivated.
Legacy
The massacre became one of the most widely remembered violent crimes in Canadian history and is strongly associated with discussions of violence against women. It is commemorated annually in Canada through remembrance activities linked to 6 December.
Key facts
- He attacked the École Polytechnique de Montréal on 6 December 1989.
- He separated women from men during the attack and targeted women.
- He killed 14 women and injured 14 people before dying by suicide.
- Sources describe him as a Canadian mass murderer and antifeminist attacker.
- His act led to the annual Canadian National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, which commemorates the victims of gender-based violence associated with the massacre.
The case is central to Canadian discussions of gun violence, misogyny, and violence against women, and it is linked to Canada’s National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.
Frequently asked questions
Who was Marc Lépine?
What was Marc Lépine’s birth name?
What did Marc Lépine do?
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How many people were killed and injured?
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References
- Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marc_L%C3%A9pineSupports: Birth name, nationality, date and place of birth/death, and description as Canadian mass murderer; attack details and casualty counts.
- Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89cole_Polytechnique_massacreSupports: Attack details, casualty counts, and context of the massacre.
- Wikipedia — https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuerie_de_l'%C3%89cole_polytechnique_de_Montr%C3%A9alSupports: French-language account of the event, numbers of killed and injured, and suicide.
- The Canadian Encyclopedia — https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/fr/article/lepine-massacre-ten-years-after-en-anglais-seulementSupports: Canadian context, anti-women motivation description, and remembrance significance.
- France Inter — https://www.radiofrance.fr/franceinter/podcasts/affaires-sensibles/affaires-sensibles-du-jeudi-25-avril-2024-7147489Supports: Narrative of the attack, separation of men and women, antifeminist statements, and number of victims.