The common-law spouse of the man responsible for the Nova Scotia mass shooting began telling her story in public for the first time before an inquiry Friday.

The inquiry has heard Lisa Banfield was beaten and badly injured by the killer immediately before he began his shooting rampage on the night of April 18, 2020. She has told police and the inquiry's investigators that she escaped into the woods and later emerged to tell police that her partner was still at large on the morning of April 19, 2020.

At the time, he was disguised as a Mountie and driving a vehicle that looked exactly like an RCMP cruiser.

The commission of inquiry has agreed to let Banfield testify without facing cross-examination from lawyers representing other parties, mainly because she could be traumatized by having to relive the violence she endured.

As well, the three commissioners leading the inquiry recently decided that Banfield would not face questions about the domestic violence she faced during her 19-year relationship with the killer.

Commission counsel Gillian Hnatiw asked Banfield a series of questions about the early stages of the couple's relationship, which started in 2001 when they met at a bar in downtown Halifax.

Banfield said he showed up with two dozen long-stemmed roses on their first date. "I thought that was over the top," she said, her voice somewhat flat.

She also recounted how later that night, she was impressed by his reaction when his car was rear-ended by a vehicle driven by a young woman. Banfield said he was polite and unruffled by the mishap.

"I thought, 'Well this is a good guy,'" she said.

Some members of the victims' families are attending the hearing today, which is being held at a convention centre in Halifax.

Banfield is accompanied by two of her sisters, Janice and Maureen.

Hnatiw then showed Banfield a series of photographs of the couple's summer home and "warehouse" in Portapique. One of the images from inside the warehouse showed the killer's replica RCMP cruiser.

Earlier this week, the commission released a document based on evidence provided by Banfield during interviews with the RCMP and the inquiry detailing the killer's long history of violence.

Lawyer Michael Scott, whose firm represents families of 14 of the victims, says the inquiry's decision to limit questioning will leave lingering doubts about Banfield's testimony.

During the 13 hours he was at large, the killer fatally shot 22 people, including a pregnant woman and a Mountie. He was shot dead by two Mounties on the morning of April 19, 2020.