Horrible incident in Ottawa

[HTHM]

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/091229/..._police_killing

 

OTTAWA - A male suspect is in custody following the first slaying of an Ottawa police officer in the line of duty since 1983.

 

 

The officer was stabbed today in the emergency room at the Civic Campus of the Ottawa Hospital at about 4:30 a.m. ET. Paramedics on the scene immediately tried to save the officer, but were unable to.

 

 

There is no information yet on whether the officer was male or female, nor any details on the officer's age and rank.

 

 

A visibly shaken police chief Vern White told a news briefing that relatives of the dead officer are still being notified.

 

 

The last time an Ottawa police officer was slain in the line of duty was in October 1983 when Const. David Utman, 38, was shot at a shopping centre during an altercation.

[Tdel]

CTV News:

 

http://tinyurl.com/yew9dpc

 

"Former Saskatchewan RCMP officer Kevin Gregson is reportedly being held by police in connection with the death of an Ottawa police officer outside a local hospital.

 

Gregson's lawyer confirmed to CTV News that his client was being held by Ottawa police.

 

The officer was stabbed to death early Tuesday morning outside the Civic Campus of the Ottawa Hospital while sitting in his cruiser around 4:30 a.m. ET.

 

The officer was writing in his police notebook when he was ambushed by a single man and stabbed to death, police say.

 

The suspect was apprehended with the help of bystanders, including two paramedics. The paramedics tried to revive the officer, but were unable to. He was pronounced dead at about 5:30 a.m.

 

No charges have yet been laid.

 

Footage of the scene showed a flashlight, gun, notebook, a single glove, two knives and a large stain of blood on the gravel.

 

The officer's name, age and rank will not be released until relatives are notified.

 

Police will offer a further briefing later Tuesday morning when further information becomes available.

 

Gregson, 43, used to work for the RCMP at their Regina headquarters. In 2006, he was arrested for pulling a knife on a Mormon church official in Regina.

 

He received a conditional discharge after explaining to the court that he had recently undergone brain surgery for cysts on his brain.

 

A visibly shaken Ottawa Police Chief Vern White told a morning news conference that Tuesday's incident is "an overwhelming tragedy."

 

"Police forces are like family," White told CTV News Channel later in the morning. "We often fight and argue but always, there is this bond and connection like families have."

 

He said this incident will be most difficult on the officers from the same platoon as the deceased officer.

 

"It'll be a tough time, particularly over the next few days as they try to work through their own emotions and get through the morning," he said.

 

Flags outside the Ottawa Police headquarters on Elgin St. are flying at half-mast.

 

This is the first time an Ottawa police officer has been killed in the line of duty since 1983."

 

 

Tom

[Rizzo]

wow, very sad stuff. Sounds like a case of wrong place at the wrong time.

[irishfield]

Sounds more like an x-cop with a grudge. Terrible no matter how you look at it.

Edited December 30, 2009 by irishfield

[cityfisher]

very sad RIP

[douG]

What kind of whacko tries to kill a cop with a knife? There is a lot more to this story, I'm sure. God Bless

'em all.