CITY RCMP IN MOURNING OVER DEATHS

Shock and sadness reverberated throughout the local RCMP community Thursday
as officers learned four colleagues had been mowed down in a rifle attack
in northwestern Alberta.

They waited anxiously, wondering if they may have known one of the four
officers killed when a man guarding a marijuana grow operation near
Rochfort Bridge, a village of about 60 people,turned a high-powered rifle
on them.

RCMP Insp. Jim Begley said word of the slaughter was slowly beginning to
filter through the detachment.

"We haven't heard much about what has happened," he said, his voice weary.
"There's really not all that much information coming out yet. Hopefully,
we'll know more soon.

"For us, the members would like to know if (one of those killed) was
someone they knew or had worked with. They're very anxious right now."

Some members have worked in Alberta while others may have trained with one
of the deceased in Regina, he said.

"There is a chance. You just never know."

Cpl. Fran Bethell said the news was like hearing about a loss in the family.

"We're very saddened by this and there is certainly a state of shock in the
building."

"Our hearts go out to the spouses we'll do what we can to be supportive
of the families."

The death of a fellow officer is always sad, she said. To have four killed
at once is shocking.

"Quite a number of police-related deaths involve some kind of motor vehicle
incident or car accident. To have four killed like this is unusual."

She said it's also frightening not only for police officers themselves, but
also their families. Law enforcement is not a job where spouses know their
partner will come home safe at night.

The worry is always there and incidents such as the Thursday shootings
bring that knowledge home hard, she said.

Three RCMP officers were shot and killed while on duty in Kamloops on June
18, 1962. E. J. Keck, D. G. Weigerber and G.E. Pedersen were shot in
Peterson Creek Park by a mentally disturbed man. The man, George Booth, was
later shot by RCMP officer Jack White.