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Condolences to all involved....

www.cbc.ca/story/canad...50303.html

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.

Thanks for bringing this up Ascout and no doubt something like this hits pretty hard internationally as well as close to home. The rural area where ths happened is not too far from where I live,,,,,,somewhere in the 2 hour drive vicinity,,,I actually was at work listening to the upadates every few minutes on the radio whilst this was happening and I was totally shocked when they confirmed the unresposive officers were dead, 4 officers at the same time,,,same place,,,,same investigation,,so very tragic!, not in over 120 years has this happened in canadian history.
It sickens me to learn this was over a simple pot grow-op.....you know,,,up here in western Canada you pretty much get a slap on the wrist for this,,,,to get caught in possesion they usually just let you go,,,,,for trafficking on the first offence depending on the quantity you may end up with only probation....more offences you will get a couple months in jail........but for growing the stuff............they break your equipment, confiscate the pot, arrest you and say come back to court in a couple months and worst case you might get a little jail time.....

This was obviously someone who wanted to die and was seriously mentally ill because no rational person would do something so evil and reprehensible. I would almost bet that while arresting this guy the officers would probably have joked around with the guy even while carrying out the serious end of thier job, I have actually experienced this myself when I was once present at a grow-op bust. police up here are usually pretty casual and wont make things bad for you unless you provoke them....

My heart goes out to the family, friends and partners of these slain officers who in no way deserved this.... The guy committed suicide and I truly hope he wanders hell and limbo for eternity....!!!!!......

Just a little update on the situation,,,,,,,as it turns out not one of these officers was over 30 years of age and they were all pretty much new to the force,,,,,,also as it turns out, one of them was from here in Red Deer and had just only begun his career 2 weeks ago,,,,,,,,and from all I have heard today he was truly a great guy and well liked in the community. Red Deer is mourning the loss of one of its sons.... As new details are constantly being updated it seems that the person that did this terrible thing was mentioned in his own fathers words as a wicked devil who has always hated cops and his father said,,,,,"HE IS NOT MY SON"....."HE IS NOT MY SON".......

another of the officers was an ace marksman and also a twin brother,,,he and his twin having joined the force together.......So much more to come of this.....


sorry,,,,one little error,,,,,,one of the officers was over 30,,,,he was 32 years old,,,and was the twin brother,,,,the rest were all in mid twenty's