First-degree murder charge laid after shooting death of Mountie in Coquitlam
Coquitlam resident Nicholas Bellemare, 25, has been charged with one count of first-degree murder in connection to the homicide of Ridge Meadows Mountie Cst. Rick (Fredrick) O’Brien.
Bellemare remains in custody and has also been charged with one count of attempted murder with a firearm.
Cst. O’Brien was killed during a shooting in Coquitlam on Friday, September 22, while executing a search warrant in relation to a drug investigation near the intersection of Pine Tree Way and Glen Drive.
While executing the search warrant, Cst. O’Brien and his fellow attending officers “became engaged in an altercation with a man which resulted in Cst. O’Brien being fatally shot,” read a news release from BC RCMP.
BREAKING: A 25-year-old is charged with first degree murder following the shooting death of an RCMP officer in #Coquitlam on Friday. pic.twitter.com/tNnI09alEC
— Daily Hive Vancouver (@DailyHiveVan) September 23, 2023
“Cst. O’Brien succumbed to his injuries on scene, despite the best efforts of BC Emergency Health Services,” the news release continues.
The two other attending officers sustained injuries during the altercation and were transported to the hospital, where their injuries were attended to.
The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) reported that Bellemare was additionally charged with one count of Attempted Murder with a firearm.
Office-in-Charge of IHIT, Superintendent Mandeep Mooker, released a statement regarding the tragic incident.
This is a profound loss and I understand it will have a lasting effect on Cst. O’Brien’s family, friends, colleagues and the community,
said Mooker. We wish to send our sincere condolences to everyone impacted by this tragic event.
With files from Simran Singh and Amir Ali