Slain officer's wife 'alone' after his death

The wife of slain Toronto police officer Sgt. Ryan Russell was consoled by Chief Bill Blair but was otherwise "pretty much alone" in the immediate aftermath of Russell'sdeath, says thepolice service's senior priest.

Russell,a 35-year-old father of a two-year-old boy,died in St. Michael's Hospital of injuries hesuffered when he was struckaround 6:10 a.m.Wednesday by a stolen truck equipped with a snowplow in midtown Toronto.

The incident ended when the man allegedly driving the truck was shot and arrested in the city's west end at about 7:20 a.m.

Rev. Walter Kelly, the Torontopolice service's chief chaplain,arrived at the hospital shortly after the arrest.Russell's wife, Christine, Chief Blair, Toronto Police Associationhead Mike McCormack andanother police chaplain were already there.

Other family memberslivein Peterborough, Ont.,andcould not be with her immediately, Kelly told CBC Thursday morning.

"That was one of the terrible things that happened," Kelly said. "Many of us, most of us, have family and support around us, but here this young wife and young mother was pretty much alone, and thankfully OPP helped bring her family as quick as they could."

The seniorpolice officials who wereat the hospitalwere the only oneswith Christine when she saw her husband for the first time that morning, Kelly said. Blairplaced hisarm aroundChristine's shoulderas he stood with her in the room where her husbandwas lying, Kelly said.

"It was just an incredible moment of support, "he said.

"To see our chief there holding this young woman who's lost her husband, who I'm sure [has] things racing through her mind 'What's going to happen, you know, our son's at daycare and close family members are on the way' just facing this, it was one of those moments for me and the other chaplain we were quiet and praying."

Other family memberswere in Florida, said Kelly, who couldn't say when they were able to get back to Toronto.

Russell, an 11-year veteran of the police service,was with the guns and gangs unit before being promoted to sergeant six months ago. His father is a retired officer with the force.

Funeral details have not been completed.

The province's Special Investigations Unit, which is called in whenever a civilian has been seriously hurt or killed in an interaction with police, is investigating.

Richard Kachkar, 44, of no fixed address, has been charged with first-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder, police said Thursday. He is recovering in the intensive care unit at St. Michael's Hospital.