Family says killed RCMP officer 'would have done everything for his country'

CTV National News: Moncton shooting aftermath As a community mourns, police across town are combing through a trailer for evidence. John Vennavally-Rao has the details from Moncton.

Const. David Ross was a family man, an animal lover and a passionate officer who always achieved his goals, family members of the killed RCMP officer said Friday.

At a tearful press conference in Ross’s hometown of Victoriaville, Que., his mother, step-father, brother, sister and half-sister spoke highly of the 32-year-old father.

Ross was one of three officers killed in Moncton, N.B., on Wednesday, along with Const. Fabrice Georges Gevaudan and Const. Douglas James.

Helene Rousseau said her son was her hero.

“I’m Dave’s mother, a broken mother. The mother of a son who loved life,” she said in French. “I still see his smile because I spoke to him two days ago on FaceTime.”

Rosseau said her son planned on having four children.

“Every time before hanging up the phone, he’d always say, ‘Mom, don’t ever forget how much I love you.’”

Ross was a dog handler with the RCMP, a sought-after role with more than 400 names on the waiting list, according to the RCMP website. His brother said Ross loved animals and nature.

“He always wanted to be a dog handler,” said Olivier Juneau-Rosseau. “And I wanted to follow his footsteps.”

“He wouldn’t have wanted to die any other way. That’s what he would have wanted,” he added. “He would have done everything for his country. For his family, he would have done everything.”

Cynthia Juneau, Ross’s sister, said she was close with her brother, despite the distance between them.

“The main thing I want to say is that I’m very proud of my brother,” she said. “I’m proud of him because he always managed to go further. He always managed to achieve his goals.”

Ross leaves behind a one-year-old son and his wife, who is six-months pregnant. Ross’s mother says her only consolation is that she’ll see her son again.

“He’ll be with us for eternity once God decides to take us,” she said.

“I know my brother is in heaven and he’s looking down on us,” said his sister Cynthia.

“He’s probably telling us, ‘Stop crying for me, I’m in heaven, I’m fine here.’”