RCMP officer Rick O’Brien dead, 2 officers injured in Coquitlam shooting

RCMP Const. Rick O’Brien was shot and killed and two officers were injured, while executing a search warrant in Coquitlam, about 30 kilometres east of Vancouver, on Friday morning.

O’Brien, 51, was a decorated constable from the Ridge Meadows detachment and he just recently celebrated seven years of service. He leaves behind a wife and children.

“This is an extremely difficult and tragic day,” Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald, the Commanding Officer of the B.C. RCMP, said at a news conference.

“Const. O’Brien led by example. He had a great sense of humour, he was well respected by his peers, and he was loved in his community,” McDonald said.

O’Brien succumbed to his injuries at the scene after receiving treatment from first responders, McDonald said.

One officer and the suspect remain in the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The other officer was treated for minor injuries and released.

RCMP officer shot dead in Coquitlam

RCMP Const. Rick O’brien, 51, was killed while executing a search warrant in Coquitlam, east of Vancouver. Two other officers and the suspect were injured.

The Independent Homicide Investigations Team is investigating the officer’s death and the injuries of the two other officers. The Independent Investigations Office (IIO) is conducting a concurrent investigation of police actions.

The IIO said Ridge Meadows RCMP were executing a search warrant at a home near Pinetree Way and Glen Drive in the Vancouver suburb when the incident occurred.

“While there, the attending officers became engaged in an altercation with a man which resulted in multiple officers being injured and the man being shot,” the release stated.

A large deployment of emergency responders, including police in tactical gear, were seen in the 2900-block of Glen Drive at around 11 a.m. PT.

Eyewitnesses describe police incident in Coquitlam

Carley Hodges and Tracy Joseph said they witnessed two men injured and one person in handcuffs.

Eyewitness Carley Hodges said when police began arriving at the scene she saw one officer who was limping and bleeding from his leg.

“He had a tourniquet on. Someone was taken away in an ambulance and they were doing chest compressions. And someone in handcuffs in his underwear was taken away. And then [there were] cops coming with riot shields, battering rams and rifles,” said Hodges.

McDonald said the RCMP had sent heartfelt condolences to O’Brien’s family.

“The RCMP family is gutted,” McDonald said in a news release. “We are just days away from the B.C. Law Enforcement Memorial in Victoria that honours our fallen.”

O’Brien was born in Ottawa and joined the RCMP in 2016. All of his service was with Ridge Meadows, where he earned an award for bravery shortly after joining the detachment.

Wendy Mehat, superintendent in charge of the Ridge Meadows detachment, described O’Brien as an exceptional and hard working officer.

She said O’Brien loved visiting schools and supporting his detachment through drives and sporting events.

“The loss of Rick will be felt deeply, by his family, his colleagues, and the community,” Mehat said.

“His death is senseless and heartbreaking. He simply went to work today and was killed doing his duty and keeping his community safe.”

A funeral procession for O’Brien departed from the crime scene in Coquitlam Friday evening, headed through Maple Ridge, and arrived in Abbotsford.

Coquitlam Mayor Richard Stewart called it a tragic and horrible day.

“We lament tremendously the senseless loss,” Stewart said. “Our hearts go out to the family, friends, coworkers and colleagues of an officer who went to work this morning hoping to help, and whose life and career were cut short.”

Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth offered condolences in a Friday press conference.

“Const. O’Brien was a person dedicated to the protection of the public and our communities,” Minister Farnworth said.

“A person with family, friends, loved ones, colleagues, hopes and dreams, that have been tragically cut short in a senseless violent act.”