MAYERTHORPE — 2005 · Murder
The Mayerthorpe Tragedy — Four RCMP Officers Killed
On 3 March 2005, at a farm near Mayerthorpe, Alberta, four young Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers searching for stolen property and a cannabis-growing operation were ambushed and killed by the farm's owner. The gunman, who had a record of violent offences and was banned from possessing firearms, had slipped back onto the property overnight and hidden in a Quonset hut; he opened fire on the officers and then took his own life. It was the RCMP's worst single-day loss since 1958. Two men who had helped him return to the farm pleaded guilty in 2009 to four counts of manslaughter and were jailed. A fatality inquiry made recommendations on RCMP procedures.
- Date
- 2005
- Place
- Alberta, Canada, Mayerthorpe, CA
- Category
- Murder
- Case Status
- Solved
- Coordinates
- 54.0300, -115.0700 ↗
Timeline of Events
- 2 March 2005Bailiffs visited the farm; police were called and a search began.
- 3 March 2005The hidden gunman killed four RCMP officers and then himself.
- 19 January 2009The two men pleaded guilty to manslaughter.
Sources
- CBC News — 4 RCMP officers killed on Alberta farm cbc.ca ↗
- The Globe and Mail — 2 face murder charges over Mayerthorpe theglobeandmail.com ↗
- Wikipedia — Mayerthorpe tragedy en.wikipedia.org ↗
- CBC News
- The Globe and Mail
- Wikipedia
Source grade A: several independent sources, at least one an official record or reference work. If you spot a mistake or something missing, report it with "Suggest a correction" in the app.
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🕯️ This record was prepared with respect, in memory of those who lost their lives.