Burnaby RCMP officer killed on responsibility recognized as Const. Shaelyn Yang

Breadcrumb Path Hyperlinks

Information Native Information Crime

Article content material

The temper was sombre at Burnaby RCMP headquarters Tuesday and officers wore blue ribbons pinned above their hearts after one in all their very own was killed within the line of responsibility.

Article content material

Const. Shaelyn Yang, 31, was fatally stabbed Tuesday morning whereas serving to a metropolis parks worker examine on a person dwelling in a tent at Broadview Park.

Begin your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused information and opinion delivered straight to your inbox at 7 a.m., Monday to Friday.

By clicking on the enroll button you consent to obtain the above publication from Postmedia Community Inc. Chances are you’ll unsubscribe any time by clicking on the unsubscribe hyperlink on the backside of our emails. Postmedia Community Inc. | 365 Bloor Road East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4 | 416-383-2300

Article content material

“That is a particularly tough and tragic day for the B.C. RCMP and the members of the Burnaby detachment,” stated Dwayne McDonald, the commanding officer in B.C., who supplied “our heartfelt condolences to Const. Yang’s household, prolonged household, mates and colleagues.”

Yang lived in Richmond, the place she was an energetic volunteer, he stated. In 2019, she grew to become a police officer.

“These she labored with earlier than becoming a member of the RCMP and her police colleagues describe Const. Yang as a form, compassionate particular person, which makes her loss much more tough to just accept,” he stated.

“She was a loving spouse, a sister and a daughter.”

Article content material

Yang was killed throughout a confrontation whereas working as a liaison to these coping with homelessness and psychological well being points.

“Shaelyn embraced that job with ardour,” stated Graham De La Gorgendiere, the Burnaby RCMP detachment commander. “She discovered worth working with this group and dealing with these struggling in our group.”

Grief counselling was being supplied to officers beneath a tent within the detachment’s car parking zone, together with bottles of water.

B.C. Public Security Minister Mike Farnworth stated he was knowledgeable {that a} feminine Burnaby RCMP officer was killed whereas on responsibility, calling it “completely tragic and horrific.”

Police stated they had been known as to an “unfolding incident” on Canada Approach between Boundary Street and Willingdon Avenue on Tuesday morning. Two folks had been taken to hospital.

Article content material

Postmedia realized the officer was with metropolis parks employees checking on a homeless camp or lone tent within the 4000-block of Gilmore Avenue simply earlier than midday. A civilian discovered the officer critically wounded and known as 911.

Responding officers discovered a suspect, who was shot and wounded. The wounded man was taken to Royal Columbian Hospital and was stated to be in secure situation.

The officer was taken to Vancouver Basic Hospital the place she was pronounced useless.

Toggle full display screen mode Earlier Gallery Picture

Subsequent Gallery Picture Toggle gallery captions

All 10 Pictures for Gallery

Operate Not Accessible

Full Display will not be supported on this browser model.

Chances are you’ll use a distinct browser or system to view this in full display screen.

OK

Article content material

A witness driving by because it unfolded stated they noticed greater than 15 cops and paramedics carry out CPR on an individual earlier than loading them onto a stretcher.

Police positioned a person in handcuffs earlier than he, too, was loaded onto a stretcher.

An enormous police presence remained on the scene Tuesday afternoon, however “there doesn’t look like any ongoing danger to the general public,” stated Burnaby RCMP.

Broadview Park was cordoned off with police tape.

Postmedia talked to 2 residents and a enterprise proprietor close to the park, which is beside Burnaby College District headquarters. They stated that they had not seen a homeless encampment within the park.

One neighbour, who was out strolling his canine, stated he seen a person dwelling out of a single orange tent in current months.

Article content material

“I don’t know why it will must escalate to this degree,” stated the Burnaby resident, who requested to not be recognized. “There may be often nobody else however him there. It’s one tent, a small little tent — not like East Hastings or something.”

The Impartial Investigations Workplace of B.C., which investigates deaths or severe accidents involving police, confirmed it despatched investigators to the scene.

“That is a completely tragic and horrific scenario,” stated Farnworth, who was overcome with emotion as he spoke from the legislature. “Day-after-day we ask 1000’s of women and men in uniform on this province to do their duties, protecting our group protected, protecting the general public protected, realizing full properly that it’s a particularly harmful job.

Article content material

“That is the worst information anybody needs to listen to. My coronary heart goes out to the household, the buddies and the officers within the police departments of Burnaby and throughout the province who day-after-day put their life on the road to maintain all of us and our communities protected.”

On Tuesday night time a protracted procession of emergency companies autos drove alongside Broadway in Vancouver to mark the lack of Const. Yang.

Former legal professional common and B.C. NDP management front-runner David Eby additionally issued a press release on Twitter saying: “My coronary heart goes out to this officer and her household following this mindless killing. Each British Columbian ought to know their family members will return house from work safely day-after-day. I’m considering of all of the heroes who put their lives on the road to maintain the remainder of us protected.”

Article content material

Metro Vancouver Transit Police stated in a press release their “outrage builds as our hearts break. Our officers labored intently together with her and he or she might be deeply missed.”

Police departments from Vancouver to Ottawa additionally expressed their disappointment on the loss on social media.

Article content material

B.C. officers killed on responsibility

Listed below are a number of the officers killed whereas on responsibility in British Columbia lately:

Nov. 6, 2017: Abbotsford Police Division Const. John Davidson was shot and killed after he responded to experiences of a doable stolen automobile and photographs fired. Oscar Arfmann ambushed the 53-year-old officer as he received out of his automobile and shot him twice from behind.

April 5, 2016: RCMP Const. Sarah Beckett, a 32-year-old mom of two younger youngsters, was killed when her marked police automotive was struck broadside by an impaired driver in Langford. She was the primary feminine police officer to die on responsibility in B.C.

Sept. 15, 2002: Richmond RCMP Const. Jimmy Ng, 31, died when his police cruiser was broadsided by a avenue racer who ran a purple gentle at an estimated 134 km/h. Stuart Chan was jailed for the hit-and-run crash.

Article content material

Feb. 2, 1987: Sgt. Larry Younger, a Vancouver police emergency response group chief, was shot and killed by a drug supplier ready in ambush as Younger led a raid on a basement suite. Greater than 1,000 officers of all ranks from throughout North America marched in Vancouver at his funeral.

Sept. 19, 1980: Const. Tom Agar, 26. was shot to demise on the Richmond RCMP detachment by gunman Steven LeClair, who had simply gone on a taking pictures rampage in Vancouver. One other officer was injured.

March 29, 1974: Const. Roger Pierlet was shot useless after stopping a automotive in Cloverdale whereas working what was purported to be his final shift.

June 18, 1962: Three younger Kamloops RCMP constables — Gordon Pedersen, 25, Don Weisgerber, 23, and Joseph Keck, 25 — had been killed by George Sales space, an novice marksman with a historical past of psychological issues.

— With information from Katie DeRosa

B.C. gangster who broke out of jail is Canada’s most-wanted fugitive

Two folks discovered useless in automotive in Burnaby; IHIT known as in

Share this text in your social community

Feedback

Postmedia is dedicated to sustaining a energetic however civil discussion board for dialogue and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. Feedback might take as much as an hour for moderation earlier than showing on the positioning. We ask you to maintain your feedback related and respectful. Now we have enabled e-mail notifications—you’ll now obtain an e-mail should you obtain a reply to your remark, there may be an replace to a remark thread you observe or if a person you observe feedback. Go to our Group Pointers for extra data and particulars on the way to regulate your e-mail settings.