'An ultimate sacrifice': Tributes continue as memorial being planned for slain B.C. RCMP officer
Family, friends, colleagues and strangers in B.C. and beyond continue to mourn the death of Const. Shaelyn Yang, an RCMP officer who was killed on duty last week in Burnaby.
While a memorial is being planned the details have yet to be finalized. The community is still shaken up by the tragedy.
"We lost a hero. She was trying to keep Canada and the people around her safe," said Ross Gulkison, the vice president of the Police and Peace Officers' Memorial Ribbon Society.
Yang had been an RCMP officer for three years before her life was cut short at the age of 31.
On Tuesday morning, she and a city worker responded to a complaint at a Burnaby park.
Yang was involved in an altercation at Broadview Park when she was fatally stabbed. A suspect was also shot.
"All of Canada suffers when we lose a police officer," said Gulkison.
"So far, in the last five weeks, we've lost five police officers. It's been very tragic. It's never happened this many tragedies in such a short period," he continued.
Hockey fans stood for a moment of respect and silence for Const. Yang before the Vancouver Canucks' home opener Saturday night,
According to Gulkison, another tribute is expected to take place in two weeks with the BC Lions.
"This is all to tell people that this is an ultimate sacrifice. This is something that we don't want to ever happen, but it does happen," he said.
In a statement, Ruby Ba, the president of B.C.'s Taiwanese Canadian Association said "the Taiwanese community has expressed that we will be there whenever and wherever we can help out."
For now, the community wants to give Yang's family privacy and encourages the public to help support them financially through a GoFundMe and to pay respects at the Burnaby RCMP detachment where there is a book of condolences available to be signed.
"[Officers] go out every day not knowing if they're going to come home. And that's the saddest part," said Gulkison.
Yang, who was also a wife, sister and daughter, was known for being a kind, compassionate person.
The Police and Peace Officers' Memorial Ribbon Society said it will do everything to keep her memory alive and expects her memorial will be a well-attended and moving ceremony.
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