Four people were killed in an early morning shooting Friday, Aug. 10, in a residential area of north-end Fredericton.
Two of the people killed were police officers.
“Of the four people killed in this morning's shootings on Brookside Drive, two were Fredericton police officers,” a police tweet said just before 10:30 a.m. “No names are being released at this time. Please appreciate this is a difficult time for their families and our colleagues. We will provide more info when we can.”
Residents in the Brookside Drive area have said they heard shots fired starting around 7 a.m. The shootings occurred in a block of four apartment buildings behind the Tim Hortons outlet on Douglas Avenue, just south of Highway 105.
The identities of those killed have not been released.
Police confirmed at 9:45 a.m. that they had one person in custody. They later said the suspect was being treated for serious injuries.
RELATED
- UPDATE: Two officers among the dead in Fredericton shooting
- A timeline of the deadly shooting in Fredericton
- Shooting in N.B. triggers outpouring of condolence from political leaders
- P.E.I. residents react to Fredericton shooting
“We are all shocked and saddened to learn this morning of the ongoing tragic incident in Fredericton,” Premier Brian Gallant said in a statement.
“On behalf of all New Brunswickers, I offer my condolences, thoughts and prayers to the victims and their families. During this difficult time, our thoughts are also with the courageous women and men on the front lines working to keep us safe.”
Witnesses have said they heard as many as 15 to 20 shots.
The Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital in Fredericton issued at tweet at 11:06 a.m., that it was treating multiple victims of the shooting.
The Tim Hortons outlet on Douglas Avenue and a nearby GoodLife Fitness gym were locked down after the shootings. Employees answering calls in both businesses said they were following company policies to sit tight and not comment to media.
Gallant urged residents, particularly those living in the areas identified by police, to keep informed about the situation as it developed and to follow the instructions of law enforcement officials.
Police advised in a tweet at 11:04 a.m., that there was no longer a threat to the public and lockdowns were no longer required.
“Police still have the crime scene contained and will be working the investigation for some time,” the tweet concluded.
Police had earlier advised residents in the area to stay indoors, lock down their homes and not reveal their location or the location of police officers on social media.
The province also dealt with a multiple shooting June 4, 2014, when five RCMP officers were shot in Moncton. Three officers were killed.
An overnight 28-hour manhunt ensued and Justin Bourque, 24, of Moncton, was arrested June 6.
Bourque later pleaded guilty to three counts of first-degree murder and to two charges of attempted murder. He was sentenced to two concurrent life sentences with no possibility of parole for 75 years.
UDPATE: At this time we can confirm that we have one suspect in custody.
— Fredericton Police (@CityFredPolice) August 10, 2018
Police continue to have the Brookside area contained for the foreseeable future as the investigation is ongoing.
Please continue to avoid the area and follow us for the facts.
More to come
