Mayerthorpe tragedy
| Mayerthorpe tragedy | |
|---|---|
| Location | North of Rochfort Bridge, Alberta |
| Coordinates | 54°0′55″N 115°1′18″W / 54.01528°N 115.02167°WCoordinates: 54°0′55″N 115°1′18″W / 54.01528°N 115.02167°W |
| Date | Thursday, March 3, 2005 9:57 a.m.–10:00 a.m. MST (UTC−07:00) |
|
Attack type
|
Shooting |
| Weapons | Heckler & Koch 91 |
| Deaths | 5 (including the perpetrator) |
| Perpetrator | James Roszko |
The Mayerthorpe tragedy occurred on March 3, 2005 on the property of James Roszko, approximately 11 km (6.8 mi) north of Rochfort Bridge near the Town of Mayerthorpe in the Canadian province of Alberta. With a Heckler & Koch 91, Roszko shot and killed Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) constables Anthony Gordon, Lionide Johnston, Brock Myrol and Peter Schiemann. The incident occurred as the officers were executing a property seizure on the farm. This was the worst one-day loss of life for the RCMP and the worst multiple-officer killing in modern Canadian history.
Other officers initially went to the farm to assist bailiffs in trying to repossess a truck, but Roszko fled in it. Numerous stolen vehicle parts and a marijuana grow-op were found on the premises. Search warrants were obtained and executed but not before they had searched the farm. Constables Gordon and Johnston were providing scene security. Cst. Schiemann arrived to drop off Cst. Myrol. The four officers were ambushed inside a quonset shed on the farm. Roszko had returned to the property after getting a ride from Shawn Hennessey and Dennis Cheeseman during the night and lay in wait for an opportunity.
After fatally shooting the four officers, Roszko emerged from the shed and engaged in gunfire with Cpl. Steve Vigor who was a member of the Auto Theft team that had arrived earlier to examine the vehicles on the property. Roszko, wounded during either the initial exchange of gunfire in the quonset or during the exchange with the two officers outside, then retreated into the shed.
After losing radio contact with the officers in the shed, RCMP Emergency Response Teams and an armoured vehicle from the Canadian Forces' Edmonton Garrison were called in, and the airspace over the property was closed. The four officers and Roszko were all found fatally shot; it was later determined that Roszko killed all four officers, and then turned his weapon on himself after being wounded by Cpl. Vigor.
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