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Hitchhiker
Rear Admiral
Joined: 11 Aug 2004
Posts: 3514
Location: Ontario, Canada
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 Thu Mar 03, 2005 9:06 pm 4 Mounties killed in drug raid |
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| Quote: | 4 Mounties killed in drug raid
By BOB WEBER
ROCHFORT BRIDGE, Alta. (CP) - Four Alberta RCMP officers were shot and killed during an investigation into a marijuana grow operation Thursday in the worst single case of police deaths in Canada in 120 years.
"It's my sad duty to inform you that four member of the RCMP were killed today in the line of duty - four brave, young members," said assistant commissioner Bill Sweeney, commanding officer of the RCMP in Alberta.
"We're all in terrible shock and mourning."
RCMP spokesman Cpl. Wayne Oakes said the four officers were at a quonset shed on a farm near the village of Rochfort Bridge in northwestern Alberta when they were shot by a suspect, who was also found in the shed. Oakes said he was known to police, but he would not say if the man had a criminal record.
A government source told The Canadian Press the suspect killed himself after shooting the officers.
"He just cut them down," the source said.
It was not immediately clear if the suspect killed himself right away. The source said he may have shot at other officers on the scene first.
Oakes said other officers on the property were able to get behind cover.
"The loss of four police officers is unprecedented in recent history," Sweeney said. "I'm told you have to go back to about 1885 in the RCMP history during the Northwest Rebellion to have a loss of this magnitude.
"It's devastating."
Sweeney said the four officers were junior members - three from the Mayerthorpe, Alta., detachment, the other from nearby Whitecourt, Alta. He said names would not be released until family members were notified.
Sweeney said he couldn't give details on what happened until all the facts were gathered.
Alberta Solicitor General Harvey Cenaiko said he and Sweeney were to meet with the families of the dead.
"This issue was senseless in the fact that four officers were killed with regard to a grow operation," he said. "(It) goes to the seriousness of the fact that organized crime, illegal cultivation of marijuana or the illegal production of crystal meth is all around us in the province."
There had been confusion all day about the fate of the officers after the first reports that shots were fired at a farm near Rochfort Bridge, a village of about 60 people. A lack if information initially led to conflicting reports about what happened.
Cenaiko had told reporters four officers were not responding to their radios and referred to "a very serious situation."
Sgt. Rick Oncescu of the Calgary RCMP said two SWAT teams were called into the area and Mounties from surrounding jurisdictions also responded.
Maj. Scott Lundy, a spokesman for Edmonton Garrison, said the military received a request just after 12:30 p.m. from the RCMP for assistance. He said two armoured personnel carriers, an ambulance and about 20 military personnel were dispatched from the military base shortly after that.
About two hours later, police told the military their help was no longer needed.
"I have confirmed we have been stood down," he said.
Alberta Premier Ralph Klein said he was surprised and saddened that such a tragedy would occur in the quiet farming community, about 130 kilometres northwest of Edmonton.
"Maybe it says something about how the criminal mind is changing . . .to move from big cities so perhaps they won't be noticed as much as they would in a larger centre," he said.
He later issued a news release expressing condolences to the families of the slain officers, as well as their colleagues.
"It saddens me beyond words," he said. "Their loss is immeasurable"
The killing of four RCMP officers Thursday during a raid on a marijuana grow operation in northwestern Alberta appears to be the worst case of police dying in the line of duty in recent memory. A list of some of the other Canadian police officers known to have died on the job since 2000:
Nov. 13, 2004 - Auxiliary RCMP officer Glen Evely, 39, of Vernon, B.C., when a stolen truck ran a red light and struck his cruiser.
May 23, 2004 - Ontario Provincial Police Const. Tyler Boutilier, 32, of the Grenville detachment, killed when his cruiser was struck by an oncoming vehicle in his lane as he answered an emergency call at a campground.
May 15, 2004 - Const. Chris Garrett, 39, of the force in Cobourg, Ont., slashed in the neck with a hunting knife after responding to a 911 call about a robbery in the parking lot of an abandoned hospital.
Feb. 28, 2004 - Cpl. Jim Galloway, 53, an RCMP dog handler stationed in Sherwood Park, Alta., killed during a gunfight after an armed standoff in which the suspect also died.
Sept. 20, 2003 - Ontario Provincial Police Const. John Flagg, 55, killed when his motorcycle collided with a pickup truck during a high-speed pursuit near Almonte, Ont.
May 27, 2003 - Const. Philip Shrive, 49, of the provincial police detachment in Renfrew, died in hospital a week after after his cruiser was struck by an oncoming truck.
Dec. 18, 2002 - RCMP Supt. Dennis Massey, 53, killed in Calgary when a propane tanker truck's trailer toppled over and landed on his car.
Sept. 15, 2002 - Richmond, B.C., RCMP Const. Jimmy Ng died when his police cruiser was broadsided, sending him flying through the rear window.
March 12, 2002 - Banff RCMP Const. Christine
Diotte, 35, killed when a sport utility vehicle slid on an icy patch of road and crashed into her while investigating another accident.
Feb. 28, 2002 - Montreal Const. Benoit L'Ecuyer, 29, shot and killed during a chase with a speeding car.
Feb. 18, 2002 -Toronto Const. Laura Ellis, 31, killed when the police cruiser she was a passenger in collided with another car and then struck a utility pole while responding to an emergency call.
Dec. 23, 2001 - Const. Martin Lefebvre, 22, of
Shawinigan, Que., died after losing control of his patrol vehicle while answering an emergency call.
Dec. 20, 2001 - RCMP Const. Dennis Strongquill, 52, shot after pursuing a stolen car in Russell, Man.
Oct. 17, 2001 - Calgary Const. Darren Beatty, 29, a member of the department's elite tactical unit, died after he was shot by a colleague in a hostage-taking simulation during a training exercise.
March 5, 2001 - RCMP Const. Jurgen Seewald, shot and killed while responding to a domestic dispute in Cape Dorset, Nunavut.
Aug. 28, 2000 - Const. Alain Forget, killed when thieves rammed a police car at a roadblock in St-Hubert, Que.
Aug. 16, 2000 - RCMP Sgt. Ed Mobley and pilot Tim Nicholson died when their plane crashed in northern British Columbia during a training exercise.
June 9, 2000 - Ontario Provincial Police Sgt. Marg Eve, died two days after a truck hit three police cars and another vehicle stopped on the side of Highway 401 near London, Ont.
Following is a statement released Thursday night by Prime Minister Paul Martin following the deaths of four RCMP offiers in a raid on a marijuana grow operation in Rochfort Bridge, Alta.:
It is with great sorrow that I have learned of the tragic deaths of four Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers today in Rochfort Bridge, Alberta.
The Deputy Prime Minister has spoken with the Commissioner of the RCMP and is following the situation closely.
Canadians are shocked by this brutality and join me in condemning the violent acts that brought about these deaths.
This terrible event is a reminder of the sacrifice and bravery of the men and women who serve in our national police force, and of the dangerous circumstances which they often confront, in order to make Canada a safer place.
On behalf of the Government of Canada, I would like to express my condolences to the families of the officers who were killed as they carried out their duty in enforcing the law and protecting the public.
At this moment of difficulty and loss, you are in our thoughts and prayers. |
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2005/03/03/948950-cp.html
| Quote: |
4 Mounties killed at Alberta drug site
Last Updated Thu, 03 Mar 2005 20:52:22 EST
CBC News
MAYERTHORPE, ALTA. - Four RCMP officers died Thursday when a man with a high-powered rifle began shooting during an investigation into a marijuana grow operation in northwestern Alberta.
"It's my sad duty to inform you that four RCMP officers, four brave young members have been killed in the line of duty," RCMP Assistant Commissioner Bill Sweeney told reporters at a late-afternoon news briefing.
The Quonset hut that police suspect held the marijuana growing operation in Rochfort Bridge, Alta.
In Canadian police terms, said Sweeney, "You'd have to go back to 1885, to the Northwest Rebellion, to have a loss of this magnitude. It's devastating."
Police said a fifth person described as "a male suspect" had been found dead at the scene of the crime, a farm near the hamlet of Rochfort Bridge.
The suspect was known to police, said Cpl. Wayne Oakes.
He added that a number of police officers had been guarding the scene since the night before as part of an investigation into illegal marijuana growing and stolen property.
Two of the dead officers had been among the team who were at the Quonset hut overnight, Oakes said.
Rochfort Bridge is located near Mayerthorpe, a town of 1,700 where the RCMP detachment is based, about 130 kilometres northwest of Edmonton.
Three of the dead officers were members of the Mayerthorpe detachment and the fourth was from the RCMP's Whitecourt detachment.
News vehicles were kept away from the scene through the day while police investigated.
Family members of the slain officers began arriving at the Mayerthorpe detachment Thursday afternoon, some of them weeping as they were escorted into the building by uniformed Mounties.
Officers stopped responding to radio calls
Earlier in the day, Solicitor General Harvey Cenaiko told CBC News that details of the trouble that broke out at about 10 a.m. Tuesday morning were sketchy.
"As far as we know, there's four officers not responding to their radios, so there is an indication that something is serious here," Cenaiko said.
"[The situation] is still active and they have a number of resources that are on scene or going to the scene."
Sgt. Rick Oncescu, who is with the RCMP in Calgary, said two SWAT teams were called to the area Thursday morning.
A military spokesman said about 20 soldiers and two armoured vehicles were sent to the area after police called for military assistance at about midday.
George Vanderburg, the provincial politician who represents the area, says he and Cenaiko were briefed on the situation around midday Thursday.
He could not provide further details except to say it was a "very serious and very tragic" situation. |
http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2005/03/03/alberta-shooting050303.html
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Theresa
Lux Mihi Deus
Joined: 17 Jun 2001
Posts: 27256
Location: United States of America
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| Thu Mar 03, 2005 10:55 pm |
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It's always sad when police officers die. 
-------signature-------
Some of us fall by the wayside
And some of us soar to the stars
And some of us sail through our troubles
And some have to live with our scars
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Valathous
The Canadian, eh
Joined: 31 Aug 2002
Posts: 19074
Location: Centre Bell
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| Fri Mar 04, 2005 3:41 pm |
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People are stupid. Shooting men who are trying to make everyone abide by the laws that keep our society together. Just over drugs too. Sad.
My school's flag is at half mast.
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Jeff Miller
Fleet Admiral
Joined: 22 Nov 2001
Posts: 23947
Location: Mental Ward for the Mentaly Unstable 6th floor, Saint John's 1615 Delaware Longview Washington 98632
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| Fri Mar 04, 2005 3:55 pm |
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Boy that sucks. hope this won't happen for along time.
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