Polytechnique (2009) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

The attacker was a misogynist who proclaimed his hatred of feminists during the attack. He ordered the men to leave and the women to stay, declaring his intent to punish women, particularly those in male-dominated fields like engineering. The female students denied being feminists, but this did not stop him from shooting at them.

• attacker motive
• misogyny
• feminists
• shooting
• targeting women

Jean-François, a male student who had been ordered to evacuate, defied the order and returned to intervene or assist the victims. He hoped to slow the onslaught or save lives, acting in contrast to the obedience of others who left. His decision was an act of courage, though it ultimately did not stop the violence.

• jean-francois
• intervention
• brave act
• classroom

Jean-François was overwhelmed by guilt for leaving the room initially and for not doing more to intervene during the attack. Some time after the massacre, he died by carbon monoxide poisoning, taking his own life as a result of the trauma and sense of responsibility.

• jean-francois
• suicide
• guilt
• carbon monoxide
• aftermath

Stéphanie was gravely injured during the attack while hiding and playing dead with Valérie. Though she survived the initial onslaught, she died later from her injuries, making the tragedy personal for Valérie who had survived alongside her.

• stéphanie
• injuries
• death
• survivor
• wounded

The Iron Ring is a traditional symbol worn by Canadian engineers, representing their professional identity and commitment to the profession. Valérie wearing it signifies her resilience and determination to continue as an engineer despite surviving the attack, reclaiming her identity and place in the field.

• iron ring
• engineer
• professional identity
• survival
• symbol

After carrying out the attacks and moving through the building, the killer reached a final room where he took his own life. His suicide ended the massacre abruptly, leaving his body alongside the victims as the final act of violence.

• attacker
• suicide
• death
• final act
• gunman

After the massacre, Valérie carried the weight of survival into a new phase of life. She was wearing the Iron Ring as a reminder of her profession and identity when she learned she was pregnant, adding both hope and complexity to her recovery.

• valérie
• pregnancy
• survival
• aftermath
• new life

Valérie contemplates her future and what she might tell her child about the world. She resolves to affirm that the world belongs to her, regardless of the challenges she faced. This represents her declaration of resilience and empowerment in the wake of catastrophe, refusing to be defined by the violence she survived.

• valérie
• child
• empowerment
• resilience
• message

The film shows the aftermath through the quiet, unflinching examination of responsibility and grief. The school community reels in silence, survivors wrestle with guilt and trauma, and the emotional damage becomes personal for everyone involved, culminating in Jean-François's suicide from overwhelming guilt.

• aftermath
• community
• grief
• trauma
• school

The attacker was described as an unstable misogynist who left a message for his mother before the attack. He specifically targeted women, proclaiming his hatred of feminists and viewing female engineering students as deserving of violence simply for being women in a male-dominated field.

• killer
• motive
• misogyny
• hate crime
• message mother