A suspended Mountie -- who is accused of murdering an Ottawa police officer -- has been remanded into protective custody and may be placed on suicide watch.
Kevin Gregson appeared in an Ottawa court Wednesday. He has been charged with first-degree murder and robbery in connection with the stabbing death of Const. Eric Czapnik on Tuesday.
The Crown asked that Gregson, 43, also be placed on suicide watch. He is to remain in protective custody until his next court appearance on Jan. 7.
Czapnik, 51, was sitting in his police car taking notes outside an Ottawa hospital when he was ambushed and stabbed to death.
Nearby paramedics tried to revive the officer but were unable to save him. He died 90 minutes before the end of his shift.
The paramedics also managed to hold down the suspect.
Police allege the attack was random, unprovoked, and Czapnik and the accused did not know each other.
Employment status
Gregson was suspended in 2006 with pay, and was recently suspended without pay and ordered to resign from the RCMP or be dismissed, according to a statement from RCMP Commissioner William Elliott.
But Israel Gencher, Gregson's lawyer, said his client remains a Mountie who is in an "employment dispute that's still before the courts."
"He is a member of the RCMP even as we speak," Gencher said.
Gregson had once been posted to RCMP "F" Division in Regina. In 2006, he was arrested and suspended from his post for pulling a knife on a Mormon church official in the city.
He received a conditional discharge after pleading guilty to uttering a death threat. At the time, Gregson explained to the court that he had recently undergone surgery for cysts on his brain.
He is now scheduled to appear before a Superior Court judge Jan. 7.
When asked about Gregson's family, Gencher said his client's parents were too upset to comment on the charges he is facing.
"They're elderly, this has rocked their world and they're really not in a position to give a statement at this time," he said.
Gencher would not comment Gregson's mental state.
Family and police in mourning
In a statement, the Czapniks asked for privacy and said the family patriarch "was an engaged and dedicated police officer who truly enjoyed working in the community."
He volunteered with the Polish community in Ottawa and played in a soccer league.
Czapnik immigrated to Canada from Poland in 1990. After working in retail and construction, he decided to join the police force -- at the age of 48 -- in order to follow in the footsteps of his father, who was a police officer in Poland for more than 30 years.
"At 48 years of age, I couldn't have gone through training," Ottawa Police Chief Vern White told CTV's Canada AM. "It shows the strength he had both mentally and physically to get through training at that age."
White said he had spoken to Czapnik's widow, who said he showed the same strength at home the couple's, three sons and daughter.
Officers who knew Czapnik told him the man was pleasant to work with, White added.
"As he would say, (he was) living the dream, being a police officer in the City of Ottawa," White said.
He said that police officers share a "brotherhood and sisterhood" and officers are also in mourning.
"People in uniform typically do understand that many police officers put their lives on the line every day and have very few people they can depend on to put themselves in the same position so you end up with a bond that is extremely strong," White said.
White said a memorial service will be scheduled as soon as relatives in Poland can make the trip. Czapnik's parents and sister live in Warsaw. He said Czapnik's mother is elderly and family is still determining whether she is able to travel.
Ottawa police have received an outpouring of condolence messages in the day since the death.
Elliott released a statement Tuesday expressing his force's condolences to Czapnik's family and all employees of the Ottawa Police Service.
"I have spoken to Ottawa Police Chief Vern White to offer our sympathy and support," Elliott said. "We will continue to keep Constable Ireneusz 'Eric' Czapnik and his family in our thoughts and prayers."
Canadians who wish to express their condolences are invited to send emails to info@ottawapolice.ca.
With a report from CTV Montreal's Daniele Hamamdjian
