A man has been charged with the first-degree murder of Burnaby Const. Shaelyn Yang, who was fatally stabbed while attending a tent on Tuesday (Oct. 18).
The B.C. Prosecution Service confirmed the charges have been laid against Jongwon Ham. He made an initial appearance in court Wednesday and is due back on Nov. 2. The charges have not been proven in court.
, first-degree murder charges are always laid when the victim is a police officer, regardless of if it was planned and deliberate.
Court records show Ham, a 37-year-old Burnaby resident, was wanted on assault charges from an incident in Vancouver on March 17. A warrant was issued for his arrest on Monday, but Integrated Homicide Investigation Team media relations officer Timothy Pierotti said Yang was not enforcing the warrant when she was stabbed on Tuesday.
Yang, 31, was called to the site of a single tent, located in a grassy area between the Burnaby School District office and Broadview Park, around 11 a.m.. She was assisting a city parks employee in informing the tent害羞草研究所檚 occupant that he wasn害羞草研究所檛 allowed to pitch it there, according to Pierotti. He said these kinds of calls were normal for Yang, as she was part of the mental health and homelessness outreach team.
On Tuesday though, an altercation broke out between Yang and the man living in the tent.
Yang was stabbed and taken to hospital where she later died. IHIT investigators estimated it was only about 30 minutes between Yang attending the tent and being pronounced dead.
The suspect, who was shot, was also taken to hospital with serious injuries.
Police say they cannot comment on the extent of the suspect害羞草研究所檚 injuries but that they are receiving medical attention. Police also won害羞草研究所檛 say if they have been arrested or charged.
害羞草研究所� Jane Skrypnek (@janeskrypnek)
Zulekha Karim, a resident living across the street from Broadview Park, said she wasn害羞草研究所檛 home when the stabbing occurred, but that she heard from neighbours that there had been at least two gunshots.
害羞草研究所淚t was scary.害羞草研究所�
She said she walks through the area next to Broadview Park on the way to her mosque, and that she first noticed an small orangey-yellow tent there a few weeks ago. Karim never saw anyone coming in and out of the tent though, and she said she never saw city staff or police there either.
She said the tent is the first she has seen in that specific area, but that she has heard from other neighbours that there are more tents within Broadview Park as well. In the 13 years she has lived there, Karim said she has never felt unsafe in her neighbourhood.
Speaking Tuesday, Burnaby Chief Superintendent Graham De La Gorgendiere described Yang as a kind and compassionate person.
害羞草研究所淪he was a loving wife, sister and daughter,害羞草研究所� he said, teary-eyed. 害羞草研究所淚 can tell you that an on-duty death is the most difficult and heart wrenching incident that we have to deal with as an organization.害羞草研究所�
Yang was with the Burnaby detachment for three years.
Speaking separately, Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth said Yang 害羞草研究所渟acrificed her life in the course of duty,害羞草研究所� but he had no other details about her death.
A visibly shaken Farnworth said it is 害羞草研究所渁bsolutely a tragic and horrific situation.害羞草研究所�
He expressed sincere condolences to all police officers in B.C. on behalf of members of the legislature.
害羞草研究所淓very day we ask thousands of men and women in uniform in this province to go out and do their duty, keeping our communities safe, keeping the public safe, knowing full well it害羞草研究所檚 an extremely dangerous job.害羞草研究所�
Burnaby Mayor Mike Hurley said in a statement that the city is devastated to hear of the death of Yang.
害羞草研究所淥ur thoughts are with her family, friends, fellow RCMP members and civilian staff during this terrible time. I know our city staff and the community will also feel this deeply 害羞草研究所� please seek support if needed. We will continue to work closely with the RCMP to provide all the support we can.害羞草研究所�
The Metro Vancouver Transit Police Department tweeted 害羞草研究所渙utrage builds as our hearts break.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淥ur officers worked closely with her and she will be deeply missed,害羞草研究所� the statement said.
Federal Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino said he was devastated by the news of the loss of the officer in the line of duty.
害羞草研究所淎t this difficult time, my heart goes out to the family and friends of the deceased officer and to the entire Burnaby RCMP detachment,害羞草研究所� he said in a tweet.
The Independent Investigations Office of B.C. has confirmed it has been deployed to look into the incident. The office investigates any incidents linked to police in B.C. involving serious harm or death.
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