Manitoba RCMP arrest 4th suspect in officer shooting after tense standoff

Four suspects are in custody inthe western Manitoba shooting of a Mountie who is recovering in hospital in Winnipeg.

The injured officer is42-year-old Cpl.GraemeKingdon, of Erickson, Man., whois married andhastwo children, according to the mayor of Erickson and members of his extended family.He is in stable condition, police say.

The fourth suspect in the shooting was arrested after an hours-long standoff Thursday with RCMP in Neepawa, which is about 50 kilometres fromOnanole, where theofficer was shot Wednesday night after responding to a report about a break-in.

Dozens of police officers, includingmembers of theRCMPtactical unit, hadsurrounded a house in Neepawaaround 11:45 a.m. CT on Thursday. Thearrest happened just before 3 p.m. when members of the tactical unit forced a suspect to the ground on a boulevard and then put the personin a patrol car.

Three other suspects in the shooting were arrested by RCMP early Thursday morning.

None of the suspects have been identified and police have not said whether or not they have been charged.

Officer's family shaken

At an RCMP news conference Thursday morning, Assistant CommissionerScott Kolody said officers were responding to a report of a break-in Wednesday night at a residence near Onanole, a small communityabout 220 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg. As soon as the officers got out of their vehicle, they were fired upon, he said.

The perpetrators fled and officers did not return fire, Supt. Scott McMurchy said. Police immediately secured the scene to allow emergency responders to get to the wounded officer.

Police later arrested four suspects in three separate locations.One suspect is being held at the RCMPdetachment in Wasagaming; two are being held at the detachment in Minnedosa.

Kolodysaid he visited the Winnipeg hospital where the officer is receiving treatment and met with his family.

"As you can imagine, they are deeply shaken by this incident," Kolody said.

McMurchy said the officer would have been wearing body armour at the time he was shot.

"Every situation that our officers respond to, they treat appropriately. They conduct a proper risk assessment and they respond accordingly. Responding to a break and enter, and especially one that is believed to be in progress, I would consider a fairly high-risk situation," he said.

RCMP update on investigation into shooting of Manitoba officer

6 years ago

Duration 22:52

Manitoba RCMP held a news conference to update the public on the investigation into the shooting of an officer in Onanole, Man.

"The RCMPis truly a large family and what has unfolded in the last few hours truly affects every officer and employee from coast to coast. I know it touches many Canadians as well," he said.

Scott Kingdon, a second cousin of the injured officer,said he is angered by the shooting but relievedhis relative will be OK.

Elgin Hall, the mayor of Clanwilliam-Erickson, the municipalitysouth of Onanole, said thecorporal comes from a family of police officers.

"Fine, fine people," said Hall.

Shooting 'changed our community greatly'

OnanoleReeve Lloyd Ewashko said it was a stressful, scary night for everyone.

"In my opinion, it's changed our community greatly," he said.

"We are a quiet little town and not accustomed to activities like that in our neighbourhood. And yeah, there's going to be a big change in our community in how we watch out for each other now."

Police set up roadblocks around Onanoleovernight and early Thursday morning, limiting access to the community, and checkedall vehicles going in and out. Residents were warned to lock their doors and windows overnight.

AllysonGillansaid she was home alone inOnanoleWednesday night whenRCMPdescended on the community.

News of the manhunt in the area scared her, so she got in the car just before midnightand headed to Dauphin to stay with her mother.

"I'm a little shaky because nothing like that happens here," she said. "It's a very quiet town."

BrentRyzowns a gas station and convenience store in town and is part of the local emergency response team.

He was called in to open his shop after 1 a.m. Thursday so RCMP and other emergency vehicles scouring the area for suspects could fuel up.

"It really hits close to home," he said."To see it up here is kind of a shock."

With files from Riley Laychuk, Cameron MacIntosh, Cameron MacLean, Bartley Kives, Camille Gris Roy, Patrick Foucault, Austin Grabish and Bryce Hoye.