Following a public visitation that saw hundreds of mourners pay their respects to the two police constables killed during a shooting in Fredericton last week, preparations are underway for the arrival of thousands of police officers, first responders, and dignitaries who will attend a regimental funeral for the officers.
Constables Robb Costello, 45, and Sara Burns, 43, were gunned down after responding to a call at an apartment complex in a residential neighbourhood in the city’s north end. Two civilians, Bobbie Lee Wright, 32, and Donnie Robichaud, 42, were also killed in the shooting.
On Thursday, visitors lined up around the block in front of the Fredericton Convention Centre for the opportunity to offer their condolences and shake hands with the grieving families of the two slain constables.
“It was very touching, seeing all these people,” retired Saint John police officer Chuck Elgee told CTV Atlantic outside the centre. “People you don’t even know and they’re shaking my hand and shaking my fellow officers’ hands and thanking us. It’s hard to explain how that feels.”
Retired Fredericton police officer Junior Woodland said it was important for the community to be able to show its support to the families at the visitation.
“[It’s] very important to see these people and all the brothers here supporting families,” he said.
On Saturday, a regimental funeral will be held at the Aitken University Centre on the University of New Brunswick campus. Due to the space constraints, the funeral won’t be open to the public.
Instead, members of the community have been asked to line the streets of Fredericton for a parade procession consisting of police officers and first responders that will take place before the funeral.
Public gatherings to watch a live broadcast of the funeral will also be held at the Grant-Harvey Centre and the Hope City Church on Saturday.
Fredericton Mayor Mike O’Brien said the outpouring of grief and support within the community has been “overwhelming” and “heartwarming.” He said residents have volunteered to drive visitors to and from the airport, car dealerships have offered up vehicles, and dozens of people have contacted him offering up rooms in their homes for people to stay.
“People are stopping each other on the streets and hugging each other, lending as much support as possible,” he told CTV News Channel on Friday. “There’s been a level of outpouring of emotion, anger, confusion, and now respect for the fallen that I’ve never seen before in this community.”
The mayor said the regimental funeral will provide the community with the opportunity to come together to grieve for the fallen officers.
“Tomorrow it will be with honour, dignity, and respect to our two fallen officers, they had a duty to serve and protect, and we have a duty to honour them, and it’s a way for the community to do so and while we’re doing that, we have to keep in mind the two civilians that died,” he said. “I know in the minds of the police force the other civilians that passed away are top of mind.”
Following the funeral, O’Brien said the city will find a way to honour the victims of the tragedy in a lasting way when “the time is right.”
Martin Gaudet, Fredericton's deputy police chief, has been involved in organizing the event and called it a “monumental task.”
“We are going to celebrate their lives and we're going to do it with dignity and with respect. That's the task and we're not going to fail,” he said outside the Fredericton police department on Wednesday.
The Fredericton International Airport is also preparing for the influx of visitors by adding more flights and increasing staff.
“We’re already seeing an increase of passengers, so for the next three days we have added flights with Air Canada and WestJet who were very helpful in adding services to accommodate the demand,” Johanne Gallant, the airport’s CEO, said.
The suspect in the shooting, Matthew Vincent Raymond, has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder. He is set to appear in court on Aug. 27.
With files from CTV Atlantic and The Canadian Press
