'He was truly exceptional': Slain B.C. RCMP officer identified
B.C. RCMP have identified the officer killed while executing a search warrant in Coquitlam Friday morning as Const. Rick O'Brien.
O'Brien and colleagues from the Ridge Meadows RCMP detachment were executing the warrant at a home on Glen Drive when they "became engaged in an altercation with a man which resulted in multiple officers being injured and the man being shot," Mounties said in an official statement earlier in the day.
- Read more: 1 RCMP officer killed, 2 seriously injured while executing search warrant in Coquitlam, B.C.
Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald, the commanding officer of the B.C. RCMP, shared O'Brien's name at a news conference Friday afternoon.
"This is an extremely tragic and difficult day," McDonald said. "To say that today has been a struggle is an understatement. Our RCMP family is, once again, gutted."
McDonald's voice broke slightly as he pointed out that Friday's incident came just days before the B.C. law enforcement memorial in Victoria, and not quite one year after the killing of Const. Shaelyn Yang in Burnaby.
"We're still healing from that tragic loss," McDonald said. "And yet, here we are again. We must do everything necessary to support our members, their families and our community."
The commissioner said he visited with O'Brien's family before speaking to reporters Friday. He said he shared his condolences and those of the RCMP.
O'Brien was born in Ottawa and had been an RCMP officer for seven years, all of them spent working at the Ridge Meadows detachment. He was 51 years old.
Supt. Wendy Mehat, the officer in charge of the detachment, called O'Brien's death "the most difficult moment" of her RCMP career.
"I cannot speak to the details of what unfolded today, but I can share that the loss of Rick will be felt deeply by his family, his colleagues and the community of Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows and Coquitlam and across the country," Mehat said.
"He was truly exceptional – a hard-worker and a good human being. His death is senseless and heart-breaking."
B.C. Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth said in a statement Friday evening that he was "shocked and saddened" by O'Brien's death.
"We stand with the colleagues, families and loved ones of Const. Rick O'Brien," Farnworth said. "Beneath the uniform, an officer is a person with a family, friends, and dreams – they believe in their communities and sacrifice of themselves to keep us all safe."
Premier David Eby and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also shared their condolences in social media posts.
A biography of O'Brien posted on the website of the Gratitude and Appreciation Summit indicates that he was assigned to the Ridge Meadows RCMP Uniformed Community Response Unit.
During his first year of service, the bio reads, he successfully disrupted a violent home invasion with six other members of the RCMP. He received a commissioner's commendation pin and a medal of valour for his efforts, which contributed to the arrest of four armed suspects.
Before joining the force, he worked as an education assistant, mental health worker and youth worker, according to the bio.
"Rick is a very giving and loving brother, son, father and husband," the bio reads. "Family is important to Rick. Together, Rick and his wife, Nicole have 6 kids, 3 on both sides, which makes for a very dynamic and entertaining living condition."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING 1st human case of H5 avian influenza in Canada detected in B.C., officials say
B.C. health officials say they have detected Canada's first-ever case of H5 avian influenza in a human.
Here are new guidelines for preventing stroke
The majority of strokes could be prevented, according to new guidelines aimed at helping people and their doctors do just that.
After Trump’s win, some women are considering the 4B movement
Women are sharing information on social media about a feminist movement in which straight women refuse to marry, have children, date or have sex with men.
Opinion Was music really better when you were younger? Or is your mind deceiving you?
As I see other generations of music lovers say music was so much better when they were younger, I wondered why. We can’t all be right — or maybe we are? I talked to experts in how music influences our brains to find out.
Flower delivery leads to arrest for St. Thomas, Ont. resident
St. Thomas police say they arrested a 72-year-old St. Thomas resident after their ex-partner reported receiving flowers and a note left on the porch.
1 monkey recovered safely, 42 others remain on the run from South Carolina lab
One of 43 monkeys bred for medical research that escaped a compound in South Carolina has been recovered unharmed, officials said Saturday.
Actor Tony Todd, known for his role in the movie 'Candyman' and its sequel, dies at 69
Actor Tony Todd, known for his haunting portrayal of a killer in the horror film “Candyman” and roles in many other films and television shows, has died, his longtime manager confirmed. He was 69.
Kate Winslet had a surprising 'Titanic' reunion while producing her latest film ‘Lee’
Kate Winslet shared an anecdote about an encounter she had with someone from her star-making blockbuster film 'Titanic' while producing her new film 'Lee.'
Cynics not only lose out on friendships, love and opportunity — they're also wrong about human nature
Cynicism is on the rise. Should that come as any surprise given today’s divisive global conflicts and our fraught political landscape? Even the weather seems like it’s out to get us.