Officers from other Lower Mainland police forces handled patrols in Maple Ridge while the members of the RCMP detachment mourned the murder of Const. Rick O’Brien.
A Friday night, Sept. 22, post on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, showed members of the Abbotsford and New Westminster police forces were among the officers who stepped up to help.
“Tonight, officers from across the Lower Mainland are working frontline policing in Ridge Meadows while our colleagues mourn the loss of Const. O’Brien,” the post said.
“We stand together in unity and as a family, no matter the shoulder patch.”
Tonight, officers from across the Lower Mainland are working frontline policing in Ridge Meadows while our colleagues at @RidgeRCMP mourn the loss of Cst. O’Brien. We stand together in unity and as a family, no matter the shoulder patch. @AbbyPoliceDept @NewWestPD pic.twitter.com/z77Zc7SOBt
— North Vancouver RCMP (@nvanrcmp) September 23, 2023
New West Police Chief Dave Jansen said the entire NWPD team “sends our condolences to the family and friends of Const. Rick O’Brien. We also stand with his [RCMP colleaugues] family as they mourn this tragic loss. Another hero lost.”
A post by Abbotsford Police said “our thoughts are with our colleagues at the Coquitlam and Ridge Meadows RCMP and his family and friends as we stand shoulder to shoulder mourning the loss of Constable Rick O’Brien of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.”
READ ALSO: VIDEO: First responders salute fallen officer during procession
On Sept. 22 Ridge Meadows RCMP officers were executing a warrant at a Coquitlam residence as part of an ongoing drug investigation when officer O’Brien was fatally shot.
During the operation, a second Maple Ridge officer was shot and a third suffered non-firearm-related injuries.
The injured officers were transported to the hospital and have since been released to continue their recovery at their respective homes.
O’Brien was pronounced dead at the scene, with his injuries proving to be too severe for the BC Emergency Health Services paramedics who attempted life-saving measures on him.
A suspect was shot and wounded at the scene.
O’Brien was a seven-year member with the detachment, having joined Sept. 19, 2016.
Policing was a second career for O’Brien, who was married with children. He was born in Ottawa.
READ ALSO: Charges laid in homicide of RCMP officer
Charges of first-degree murder and attempted murder with a firearm have been laid against 25-year-old Coquitlam resident Nicholas Bellemare.
Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to contact IHIT at 1-877-551-4448 or ihitinfo-grc.gc.ca.