If you were in Canada this week, you may have wondered why so many flags were flying at half mast. Well, the country was mourning the death of four RCMP officers who were killed during a marijuana grow operation raid.
The CBC Edmonton has a write-up about the events surrounding this tragedy. It is entitled, "
4 Mounties Killed In Drug Raid."
There were earlier reports of an unspecified number of RCMP officers shot and wounded in what was described as a "very serious and very tragic" situation.
At one point in the violent standoff, police had requested military assistance, according to a spokesperson for the military.
Major Scott Lundy says the mililtary dispatched two armoured vehicles, an ambulance and about 20 soldiers but the unit was told to stand down.
Solicitor General Harvey Cenaiko declined to release any specifics but said police were unable to make radio contact with four RCMP officers on scene.
Cenaiko confirmed RCMP officers were executing a search warrant on a suspected grow operation near Rochfort Bridge, about 130 km northwest of Edmonton.
CBC Calgary also has an article entitled, "
Roszko killed officers then himself: RCMP." The gunman was carrying a high powered assault rifle.
The National Post is running an article called, "
Eternal Gratitude: A nation mourns."
It was with a magnetic sense of duty that between 8,000 and 10,000 police officers -- at least half of them wearing the red serge and stetson of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police -- were drawn here yesterday to bear solemn witness to the largest memorial in RCMP history...
An RCMP honour guard of more than 100 officers stood at attention yesterday, as the ceremonial Guidon was laid down across the drum head. It was a heart-wrenching ritual in honour of the four fallen RCMP constables who died last Thursday, a policing tragedy unparalleled since three members of the Northwest Mounted Police were killed in the Duck Lake Massacre of 1885...
In a setting not unlike the Remembrance Day ceremonies held each November in the same building, the four slain constables -- Peter Schiemann, 25, Lionide Johnston, 32, Anthony Gordon, 28, Brock Myrol, 29 -- were eulogized both separately and together, by pastors, a father, a twin brother and dignitaries including Governor-General Adrienne Clarkson and Prime Minister Paul Martin.
This hits somewhat close to home as I have a number of friends who are in the crime-fighting business, and infact one of them is finishing up his RCMP training now.
There probably are political implications of this tragedy. The previous week, the Liberal party was having their convention, and Paul Martin was touting his plan on decriminializing marijuana. I personally don't understand why they are so hellbent on trying to pass this policy. I was talking to my friend Adam who's a crime-fighter, and he can't comprehend why the government is pushing this policy. It sounds like people up and down the organization chain of law enforcement are grumbling about decriminalizing marijuana.
In either case, this is a very senseless loss of life. A salute to those who have fallen in the line of duty.
