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The 31-year-old officer was fatally stabbed Tuesday morning while helping a park employee check on a man living in a tent in Broadview Park.
Publication date:
October 18, 2022 • 15 minutes ago • 5 minutes read • 81 comments RCMP formal portrait of Const. Shaelyn (Tzu-Hsin) Yang, who was killed in the line of duty in Burnaby on October 18, 2022. Photo by RCMP/Submitted
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The mood was somber at Burnaby RCMP headquarters Tuesday, with officers wearing blue ribbons pinned above their hearts after one of their own was killed in the line of duty.
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Const. Shaelyn Yang, 31, was fatally stabbed Tuesday morning while helping a city parks employee check on a man living in a tent in Broadview Park.
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“This is an extremely difficult and tragic day for the BC RCMP and the members of the Burnaby detachment,” said Dwayne McDonald, the commander in BC, who offered “our deepest condolences to the family of Const. Yang, extended family, friends and colleagues.”
Yang lived in Richmond, where she was an active volunteer, she said. In 2019, he became a police officer.
“Those he worked with before joining the RCMP and his police colleagues describe Const. Yang as a kind and compassionate person, which makes his loss even harder to accept.” he said.
“She was a loving wife, sister and daughter.”
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Burnaby RCMP on scene on Canada Way in Burnaby on October 18, 2022. Photo by NICK PROCAYLO /PNG
Yang was killed during a standoff while working as a liaison with those dealing with mental health and homelessness.
“Shaelyn embraced this job with passion,” said Burnaby RCMP Detachment Commander Graham De La Gorgendiere. “He found value in working with this team and working with those who are struggling in our community.”
Grief counseling was offered to officers under a tent in the detachment parking lot, along with bottles of water.
British Columbia Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth said he was informed that a Burnaby RCMP officer was killed while on duty, calling it “absolutely tragic and horrific.”
Police said they were called to an “incident in progress” on Canada Way between Boundary Road and Willingdon Avenue on Tuesday morning. Two people were taken to hospital.
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Postmedia learned the officer was with city parks staff checking a homeless encampment or lone tent in the 4000 block of Gilmore Avenue shortly before noon. A civilian found the seriously injured officer and called 911.
Officers found a suspect, who was shot. The injured man was taken to Royal Columbian Hospital and was said to be in a stable condition.
The officer was taken to Vancouver General Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
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Burnaby RCMP have one person in custody after an incident on Canada Way in Burnaby on October 18, 2022. Photo by NICK PROCAYLO /PNG
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BURNABY, BC., October 18, 2022 – Burnaby RCMP have one person in custody following an incident on Canada Way in Burnaby, BC on October 17, 2022. Two people were taken to hospital no further details available. (NICK PROCAYLO/PNG) 00098076A [PNG Merlin Archive] Photo by NICK PROCAYLO /PNG
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A victim is taken to an ambulance after an incident on Canada Way in Burnaby, BC on October 18, 2022. Photo by NICK PROCAYLO /PNG
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Burnaby RCMP on scene on Canada Way in Burnaby on October 18, 2022. Photo by NICK PROCAYLO /PNG
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Burnaby RCMP on scene on Canada Way in Burnaby on October 18, 2022. Photo by NICK PROCAYLO /PNG
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Burnaby RCMP at the scene of an incident on Canada Way on October 18, 2022. Photo by NICK PROCAYLO /PNG
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Burnaby RCMP on scene on Canada Way in Burnaby on October 18, 2022. Photo by NICK PROCAYLO /PNG
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Burnaby RCMP on scene on Canada Way in Burnaby on October 18, 2022. Photo by NICK PROCAYLO /PNG
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Burnaby RCMP at the scene of an incident on Canada Way on October 18, 2022. Photo by NICK PROCAYLO /PNG
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Burnaby RCMP at the scene of an incident on Canada Way on October 18, 2022. Photo by NICK PROCAYLO /PNG
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A witness passing by as it unfolded said they saw more than 15 police and paramedics perform CPR on one person before loading him onto a stretcher.
Police handcuffed a man before he too was loaded onto a stretcher.
A large police presence remained at the scene Tuesday afternoon, but “there does not appear to be any ongoing risk to the public,” Burnaby RCMP said.
Broadview Park was cordoned off with police tape.
Postmedia spoke with two residents and a business owner near the park, which is next to the Burnaby school district headquarters. They said they had not seen any homeless encampments in the park.
A neighbor, who was walking his dog, said that in recent months he observed a man living outside an orange tent.
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“I don’t know why it would have to escalate to that level,” said the Burnaby resident, who asked not to be identified. “There’s usually no one but him. It’s a tent, a tiny little tent, not like East Hastings or anything.
Sgt. Maj. David Douangchanh wears a blue ribbon over his heart at the BC RCMP press conference following the killing of Burnaby RCMP officer Cst. Shaelyn Yang. Photo by Niki Bennett /jpg
BC’s Office of Independent Investigations, which investigates police deaths or serious injuries, confirmed it sent investigators to the scene.
“This is an absolutely tragic and horrible situation,” said Farnworth, who became emotional as he spoke from the legislature. “Every day we ask thousands of men and women in uniform in this province to do their duty, keeping our community safe, keeping the public safe, knowing full well that it’s an extremely dangerous job.
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“This is the worst news anyone wants to hear. My heart goes out to the family, friends and officers of the police departments in Burnaby and across the province who put their lives on the line every day to keep us safe in all of us and our communities.”
Formal RCMP portrait of Const. Shaelyn (Tzu-Hsin) Yang, who was killed in the line of duty in Burnaby on October 18, 2022. RCMP photo /jpg
Former Attorney General and BC NDP Leadership Leader David Eby also issued a statement on Twitter saying, “My heart goes out to this officer and his family after this senseless murder. All British Columbians need to know that their loved ones will come home from work safely every day. I’m thinking of all the heroes who put their lives on the line to keep the rest of us safe.”
Metro Vancouver Transit Police said in a statement that their “outrage grows as our hearts are broken. Our officers worked closely with her and she will be greatly missed.”
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Police departments from Vancouver to Ottawa also expressed their sadness at the loss on social media.
Heartbreaking news today of the killing of an RCMP officer in Burnaby.
My condolences to his colleagues, family and loved ones.
This is an unimaginable loss in the line of duty.
— Jagmeet Singh (@theJagmeetSingh) October 18, 2022
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BC officers killed in service
Here are some of the officers killed while on duty in British Columbia in recent years:
Const. John Davidson. Handout photo / THE CANADIAN PRESS
November 6, 2017: Abbotsford Police Department Const. John Davidson was shot and killed after he responded to reports of a possible stolen vehicle and shots fired. Oscar Arfmann ambushed the 53-year-old officer as he got out of his vehicle and shot him twice from behind.
RCMP Const. Sarah Beckett. Handout photo / PNG
April 5, 2016: RCMP Const. Sarah Beckett, a 32-year-old mother of two young boys, died when her marked police car was hit by a impaired driver in Langford. She was the first female police officer to…