Gunman Who Killed Three Canadian Police Officers Has Been Caught
The Canadian gunman suspected of killing three police officers and injured two others on Wednesday night was finally apprehended by police early on Friday, ending a day-long search.
The Canadian gunman suspected of killing three police officers and injuring two others on Wednesday night was finally apprehended by police early on Friday morning, ending a day-long search.
Justin Bourque, 24, was taken into custody in Moncton around midnight, releasing several neighborhoods from lockdown. In a series of tweets, the New Brunswick Royal Canadian Mounted Police quoted Superintendent Marlene Snowman's remark on the event:
Supt. Marlene Snowman - At 12:10,Justin Bourque was arrested without incident in a wooded area near Wheeler Blvd and Mountain Rd. ½ #RCMPNB
— RCMP New Brunswick (@RCMPNB) June 6, 2014
He surrendered to police and had no weapons on him at the time of his arrest. We have however recovered weapons. 2/2 #RCMPNB
— RCMP New Brunswick (@RCMPNB) June 6, 2014
Supt. Snowman - The perimeter in the Moncton North area has been lifted and residents are once again free to come and go as they please.½
— RCMP New Brunswick (@RCMPNB) June 6, 2014
I know this was inconvenient and I would like to thank the affected residents for their patience and cooperation over the past two days. 2/2
— RCMP New Brunswick (@RCMPNB) June 6, 2014
Supt. Snowman - On behalf of Codiac RCMP, thank you to people from across the country and around the world for your condolences and support.
— RCMP New Brunswick (@RCMPNB) June 6, 2014
According to the Guardian, Bourque was spotted three times before he was finally arrested, though the search was comprehensive:
Police released a map of a large portion of the northwest section of the city, including a heavily wooded area, where they wanted people to remain indoors with their doors locked. They urged residents to turn on exterior lights to help the search. Many parts of Moncton were completely shut down, with some businesses placing signs in windows explaining they were closed because of the manhunt... police used air support, tactical teams and canine units. Several hundred officers from New Brunswick and elsewhere from across Canada were involved.
According to one witness, Bourque shouted "I'm done," when he was finally captured.
Residents of the small city of Moncton are mourning the losses, as well as a shattered sense of security. Canada has strict gun control laws and mass shootings are a rare occurrence.