Prince Rupert Court House marks death of RCMP constable in BC

 

The flag at the Prince Rupert Court House at half staff following the death
Friday of a member of the RCMP in the Lower mainland

Friday's tragic fatal shooting of an on duty RCMP member in Coquitlam has been marked by messages of sympathy in Prince Rupert and beyond.

The shooting which claimed the life of 51 year old Ridge Meadows RCMP member Constable Rick O'Brien, also left two other members of the Force injured. The suspect was arrested and will now face murder charges coming out of the execution of a drug investigation search warrant in Coquitlam.

The details of the incident and the statement from the Commissioner of the RCMP provided a glimpse into the life and service of the slain officer and the two members injured on the day.

The Prince Rupert RCMP shared their condolences with the members through their social media stream, as did the participants in the 2023 Tour de North, who had just wrapped up their journey across Northwestern BC on Thursday. 

British Columbia Premier David Eby expressed his shock and condolence to the incident on Friday, as did North Coast MLA Jennifer Rice.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also provided a short statement on the incident.

 The official statement from the province came from the Minster of Public Safety and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth.

“I was shocked and saddened to learn that Ridge Meadows RCMP Const. Rick (Fredrick) O’Brien was killed in the line of duty while attending to an incident in Coquitlam this morning. 

We stand with the colleagues, families and loved ones of Const. Rick O’Brien. Beneath the uniform an officer is person with a family, friends, and dreams – they believe in their communities and sacrifice of themselves to keep us all safe. 

 Today, Const. Rick O’Brien made the greatest sacrifice while protecting Coquitlam residents. He is not coming home to his wife and child today. 

On behalf of all British Columbians, I offer my deepest condolences to Const. Rick O’Brien’s loved ones and colleagues. 

My thoughts are also with the other two officers who were wounded in this terrible incident. 

All three officers are shining examples of the extraordinary individuals who chose to take on the challenging mantle of protecting the public."

The RCMP will be observing a Regimental Funeral for their fallen officer, the details of which have yet to be released.

The death of the RCMP member came just days before British Columbia set aside a day to pay tribute to those that have fallen protecting the people of the province. The Prince Rupert Court House had  lowered the flag to observe that event over the weekend.

The BC Law Enforcement Memorial Day was observed on Sunday, it was part of a national day of remembrance for law enforcement members killed in the line duty.

Cross posted from the North Coast Review.