The person accused of taking pictures to loss of life an Ontario Provincial Police officer and injuring two others early Thursday morning in japanese Ontario has been charged with homicide, police say.
Shortly after 2 a.m. Thursday, Russell County OPP detachment officers had been referred to as to a house on Laval Road in Bourget, Ontario, about 30 miles east of Ottawa, after somebody reported a disturbance and mentioned he heard a shot.
OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique mentioned three officers responded to the home and had been all shot by a person. One of many officers died and two others had been rushed to hospital.
Carrique named the officer killed in service because the 42-year-old sergeant. Eric Mueller.
Mueller was a 21-year-old officer with the Ontario Provincial Police. He had began out as a particular policeman and was then employed in 2006 as a provincial policeman. In 2018, he was promoted to sergeant.
“Eric was an exemplary officer, a household man,” Carrique mentioned. “He’s described by his friends as a coach, a mentor, somebody everybody admired.”
“And nonetheless, immediately, our hearts are damaged as we bear in mind Eric. We stand by his household and focus our consideration on recovering officers who’ve been bodily injured and emotionally affected.”
OPP Sgt. Eric Müller.
OPP / Twitter affiliation
Carrique mentioned one of many injured officers has since been launched from the hospital and is recovering at house, a 35-year-old man with 10 years on the job.
The opposite officer, a 43-year-old man with 19 years of service, continues to be hospitalized in critical however steady situation as he’s present process therapy for his accidents.
One man was taken into custody with out additional incident by different responding officers.
In an replace later Thursday, police recognized the suspect as Alain Bellefeuille, 39, of Bourget.
He was charged with first-degree homicide and two counts of tried homicide, officers mentioned.
Based on the police, he was positioned in custody.
Carrique described the taking pictures as an “ambush”.
“When three officers arrive on the scene and inside minutes they’re shot, one is killed … for merely arriving on the scene, I take into account it an ambush,” Carrique mentioned.
“Tragic lack of certainly one of our officers who was assassinated but once more just by selflessly serving his group.”
Carrique famous that police are unaware that anybody else was inside the home on the time of the taking pictures, and no different civilians had been injured.
An extended gun was discovered on the scene, Carrique mentioned, however he added they’re investigating what actual firearm was used in opposition to the officers within the taking pictures.
Police on the scene in Bourget, Ont., a small group west of Ottawa, the place three OPP officers had been killed on Might 11, 2023.
Luigi Della Penta / World Information
In the meantime, close by residents reacted to the taking pictures, telling World Information what they heard and noticed.
“I heard three pictures. It gave the impression of a shot and I wasn’t certain, however then 20 minutes later, every part lit up with sirens and police and ambulances,” mentioned one man.
“To be sincere, I actually really feel like crying proper now,” mentioned one girl. “That is very unhappy. Individuals out right here appear actually tremendous good. I did not count on this to occur in any respect, particularly down the road from my home.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford referred to as information of the taking pictures “devastating”.
“My ideas are along with his household and associates. Please be part of me in praying for his fellow officers as we await information of their situation. God bless our heroes in uniform,” Ford mentioned.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau additionally tweeted saying: “Sending my deepest condolences to the household, associates and colleagues of OPP Sergeant Eric Mueller, who was killed within the line of responsibility, and I maintain the 2 wounded officers in my ideas”.
That is the most recent deadly taking pictures of a police officer in Ontario. In current months, 4 different officers have been killed on the job.
In September 2022, Toronto Police Const. Andrew Hong was shot and killed in an “ambush-style” assault whereas grabbing espresso at a Tim Horton’s in Mississauga. He was there on a bike driving course sponsored by Peel Regional Police.
A month later, in October 2022, South Simcoe Police Const. Devon Northrup and Cons. Morgan Russell was shot and killed after responding to a disturbance at an Innisfil, Ont. house.
In late December, the Ontario Provincial Police Const. Greg Pierzchala was responding to a name for a automobile in a ditch close to Hagersville, Ontario. when he was shot and killed.
Canada has misplaced 10 lively responsibility officers, 9 of whom had been assassinated, Carrique mentioned. As we speak, with the homicide of Sgt. Eric Mueller, who makes 5 law enforcement officials within the province of Ontario who’ve been murdered since September.
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