The commissioner said the police did not consider the killings to be an act of terrorism.

Officials said Mr. Wortman, a denturist from Nova Scotia, had a relationship to some of the victims and was not known to the police. They said one line of investigation would be whether the coronavirus pandemic had anything to do with the killing spree.

Chief Superintendent Chris Leather, the officer responsible for criminal investigations for the Nova Scotia Royal Canadian Mounted Police, said the episode began on Saturday night when the police were called to a home, where they discovered dead bodies inside and outside the residence.

He said a suspect was nowhere to be found. Over the next 12 hours, the police pursued Mr. Wortman across the province.

Commissioner Lucki said the crime scene stretched over a 50 kilometer, or 31-mile, area.

Chief Leather said Mr. Wortman appeared to be dressed as a police officer and was driving a vehicle made to resemble an R.C.M.P. car. The authorities said that Mr. Wortman then switched vehicles and was seen driving a silver Chevrolet Tracker in the Milford area. The authorities emphasized that he was not an R.C.M.P. employee.