South Simcoe officers killed in line of duty remembered on 1st anniversary of their deaths

Wednesday marks the one-year anniversary of the day two South Simcoe police officers were killed in an ambush shooting while responding to a disturbance call at an Innisfil home.

Constables Morgan Russell, 54, and Devon Michael Northrup, 33, were fatally wounded 15 minutes after being dispatched to the domestic call on Oct. 11, 2022.

Both died in the hospital.

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"We will never forget their lives, their service, and their sacrifice," South Simcoe Police Service posted on social media Wednesday with #HeroesInLife.

Described as an "unassuming, low-key guy," Russell, a 33-year veteran of the service, was a trained crisis negotiator. He is survived by his wife, Marisa, and two adult daughters, Madelaine and Maggie.

Northrup was a six-year member who worked with the community mobilization and engagement unit and the mental health crisis outreach team. He left behind his spouse, Annie Romard, also a member of the police service.

"Myself and my family included, we've struggled this entire year to come to terms with what has happened and we are heartbroken in one word," said Devon Northrup's brother Brock. "There's a lot of anger and sadness surrounding all of the events that have taken place."

Since their deaths, the community rallied around the South Simcoe Police Service, which Chief John Van Dyke said has meant "everything."

"We always have had great support from our communities, but they certainly have rallied around us, they certainly have embraced us, and they certainly have honoured Morgan and Devon through a bunch of different tributes and remembrances," Van Dyke said Wednesday.

To honour the fallen officers, the Town of Innisfil renamed an arena the Morgan Russell Memorial Arena, and in Bradford, the town renamed a park the Devon Northrup Memorial Park.

"It's just been incredible, all the support and love that we've felt across the nation after this tragedy," said Northrup's brother Brock. "It's heartbreaking to see how much he was loved and appreciated because it makes us miss him all the more but over the years he's made a lasting impression on the places he worked and the people around him and I know our family will miss him dearly."

The police chief acknowledged how the officers' deaths had impacted the members of the service.

"In the last year, this has really hit us hard, and you know, there are some people here that are struggling, and there are officers that are angry about what happened last year, but for the most part, we carry on. We're there to serve, we're there to keep our communities safe, and our officers go out each and every day and each and every night to do that," he added.

"Tragedy either breaks people or organizations apart or it brings them together, and it certainly brought us together because we realize that we're all in this together," Van Dyke concluded.

South Simcoe police marked the first anniversary of Russell and Northrup's deaths with a private reflection to honour their lives and sacrifice.

With files from CTV's Dana Roberts.