Edmonton officer's deaths in the line of duty rocks policing community here at home
Local police officials are heartbroken after the latest deaths of two officers on duty in Edmonton.
The shooting deaths of Edmonton police constables Travis Jordan, 35, and Brett Ryan, 30, on Thursday are the sixth and seventh deaths of officers in the line of duty across Canada in the last six months.
- Download the CTV News app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates sent to your email inbox
On Friday, Barrie Police spokesperson Peter Leon told CTV News speaking about their deaths was admittedly difficult but important during what he calls "unprecedented" times.
"I've been involved with law enforcement for 35 years, and I've never seen a stretch where we've lost so much life," Leon said.
Leon said their deaths hit close to home after a close encounter last month.
In that instance, a Barrie officer was stabbed by a person in distress while attending a wellness check at an apartment complex in Early February.
"Every day, our officers put on the uniform and are called to a scene. There is always danger," Leon added. "There's no such thing as a routine call."
Three of the seven deaths have connections to Simcoe County.
South Simcoe police constables Devon Northrup and Morgan Russell were killed while responding to a disturbance call at a home last fall.
Two months later, OPP Const. Grzegorz Pierzchala of Barrie was killed near Hagersville, about 45 kilometres southwest of Hamilton, while responding to a call about a vehicle in a ditch.
"In this case (Edmonton), obviously they didn't know they were going to be met with gunfire, very similar to the situation in South Simcoe," said Chris Lewis, CTV Public Safety Analyst and former OPP Commissioner. "Ninety-nine per cent of these calls end up with maybe an arrest or walking away without a lot of violence, but never routine. They're obviously calls that can go violent."
The Police Association of Ontario is calling for action as police-related deaths continue rising nationwide.
"All of those instances, they were targeted, and they were ambushed," said Mark Baxter, Police Association of Ontario President. "They never had an opportunity to defend themselves, and it's really shaking the police community."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Monthly earnings rise, payroll employment falls: jobs report
The number of vacant jobs in Canada increased in February, while monthly payroll employment decreased in food services, manufacturing, and retail trade, among other sectors.
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Remains from a mother-daughter cold case were found nearly 24 years later, after a deathbed confession from the suspect
A West Virginia father is getting some sense of closure after authorities found the remains of his young daughter and her mother following a deathbed confession from the man believed to have fatally shot them nearly two decades ago.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
2 military horses that broke free and ran loose across London are in serious condition
Two military horses that bolted and ran miles through the streets of London after being spooked by construction noise and tossing their riders were in a serious condition and required operations, a British government official said Thursday.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.
He replaced Mickey Mantle. Now baseball's oldest living major leaguer is turning 100
The oldest living former major leaguer, Art Schallock turns 100 on Thursday and is being celebrated in the Bay Area and beyond as the milestone approaches.