OPP officer killed, 2 others injured in 'ambush' east of Ott

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OPP officer killed, 2 others injured in 'ambush' east of Ott

Postby Thomas » Fri May 19, 2023 7:43 am

OPP officer killed, 2 others injured in 'ambush' east of Ottawa

Sgt. Eric Mueller shot and killed; 1 person in custody

One Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officer was shot dead, and two others were injured, in what police are calling an "ambush" in the eastern Ontario community of Bourget in the municipality of Clarence-Rockland early Thursday morning.

The officer who was killed has been identified as Sgt. Eric Mueller, according to OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique.

"He is described by his colleagues as a coach and mentor," Carrrique said at a news conference at the OPP Ottawa detachment Thursday afternoon. "Somebody that everybody looked up to. The glue that held the ship together."

One of the injured officers, who is 35, has been treated and released from hospital, Carrique said. The other, who is in his early 40s, remains in hospital in stable condition. No civilians were injured in the encounter and OPP say there is no danger to the public.

Police said they arrested a 39-year-old man. Court documents obtained by CBC identify the suspect as Alain Bellefeuille, who has been charged with one count of murder and two counts of attempted murder. According to the Criminal Code of Canada, murder is automatically in the first degree when the victim is a police officer.

Bellefeuille appeared in court via video on Thursday afternoon and his next court appearance is set for May 18.

Officers respond to disturbance

Just after 2 a.m., Mueller and two other officers were called to a disturbance at a home on Laval Street in Bourget, OPP said. Carrique said it is his understanding the residence belonged to the shooter.

Someone had reported hearing a gunshot.

When the officers arrived, all three were shot by someone at the home, OPP said. They were taken to hospital in Ottawa, where one of them died.

Carrique called the events an "ambush."

"When three officers arrive on scene and within minutes are shot, one is killed, another is very seriously and critically injured, and another injured to the point of requiring medical attention for simply arriving on scene," he said. "I categorize that as an ambush."

Other OPP officers arrived on scene and were able to safely take the accused into custody, Carrique said. Officers from the Ottawa Police Service are assisting.

Five Ontario police officers who died in the line of duty this past year were honoured in Toronto Sunday. Since September, Carrique said 10 officers across Canada have been lost in the line of duty — nine of them killed.

Madison Bach, who lives about three doors down from the house where the shooting took place, told CBC her partner thought he heard something at 2 a.m., but went back to bed.

At 3 a.m. Bach woke up to nurse their six-month-old daughter and saw the flashing lights of first responders outside.

"It's just really scary that it can happen so close to where you live. Bourget is a very remote community. It's very quiet," she said.

'It's devastating'

The MPP for the area, Stéphane Sarrazin, told CBC in an interview from Toronto Thursday that officials will be working with first responders to get them proper support.

"Our thoughts are with the police officer and their family, and it's devastating to hear that kind of situation went on in our riding," he said.

In a Twitter post Thursday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford called Mueller's killing senseless and asked people to pray for the other officers.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the news coming out of Bourget "awful," and said the two injured officers are in his thoughts.

The mayor of Clarence-Rockland, Mario Zanth, said in an interview the community is trying to "support itself and each other."

"You're always shocked when it happens everywhere else, but when it happens at home, it definitely hits a little harder," Zanth said.

Bourget is about 50 kilometers east of downtown Ottawa.

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Shooting in Bourget, Ont. leaves OPP officer dead — and a co

Postby Thomas » Fri May 19, 2023 7:46 am

Shooting in Bourget, Ont. leaves OPP officer dead — and a community looking for answers

When they arrived, three officers were shot by someone at the home, police said. Police have arrested a 39-year-old male in connection to the shooting.

    Police identified the slain officer as Sgt. Eric Mueller

    One person is in custody and there was no risk to public safety, OPP said

    Officer treated and released, another in critical but stable condition after ‘ambush’ in eastern Ontario village

BOURGET, ONT.—Sgt. Eric Mueller, a 42-year-old father of two and a veteran Ontario Provincial Police officer described as “the glue that held his shift together,” was shot dead Thursday while responding to a disturbance in a quiet village southeast of Ottawa. Police are describing the shooting as an ambush.

Two other officers were taken to hospital with injuries and a suspect was arrested at the scene. The incident is the latest shooting of a police officer to rock the country in recent months, and one that has left many unanswered questions as police piece together what led to the tragic events.

This was not Mueller’s first brush with danger on the job. Early in his career, he was hit by a transport truck while attempting to arrest a man on outstanding warrants. Mueller, then 27, was crushed against his cruiser and thrown into the air. He suffered a severely broken leg — “a life-altering injury” that required three surgeries and left him with chronic pain.

“What I remembered the most was the fear of not being a police officer again,” Mueller told the court in a victim impact statement, according to a 2010 report in the Brockville Recorder. “I know I’m lucky to be alive today.”

Mueller was a coach and a mentor to colleagues, “someone everyone looked up to as the glue that held his shift together, the best leader that many people ever had the privilege of working for,” OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique told reporters Thursday.

He was hired as a provincial officer in 2006 and promoted to sergeant in 2018, Carrique said.

The shooting took place on a country road a short walk from the village centre, at a house tucked into the forest near a row of semi-detached bungalows. Neighbours watched the police activity on Thursday morning from their driveways, amid lawns speckled with dandelions.

Madison Bach said she woke at 3 a.m. to nurse her six-month-old baby and saw the flashing lights of police cruisers outside. She only found out what had happened later in the morning.

“We were at a loss for words,” Bach said. “You know, you hear about the rates of crime increasing and you never think that it’s going to happen so close to your house.”

“It really makes you re-evaluate your safety, especially with having kids — you want to do everything in your power to keep them as safe as possible.”

Down the street, residents at a small apartment building 500 metres from where the shooting took place woke Thursday to find an abandoned police SUV parked at the curb in front of their home. Lying on the hood of the vehicle was a black baseball cap bearing the yellow symbol of the Ontario Provincial Police.

It looked like someone had tossed the hat while trying to get somewhere in a hurry.

Later that morning, Louise Lascelle, who lives in one of the apartments, watched as a uniformed officer collected the hat and placed it in a brown paper bag. Shortly after, the police vehicle was towed from the scene. Lascelle wondered if it belonged to the slain officer.

Police have not yet released the names of the injured officers, but the commissioner said one was a 43-year-old officer with 19 years of service, and that another 35-year-old officer with 10 years on the force was treated and released from hospital. Both were “exemplary officers” highly regarded by their colleagues and community, the OPP commissioner said.

The incident happened shortly after 2 a.m. when the OPP officers responded to a disturbance off Laval Street in Bourget, about 50 kilometres east of Ottawa. Police had received a report of gunshots, but the OPP commissioner said it has not been confirmed whether any shots were fired before they arrived.

When the officers arrived, they were shot by someone at the home, police said. All three were taken to an Ottawa hospital.

Alain Bellefeuille, 39, has been charged with one count of murder and two counts of attempted murder using a firearm, according to court records.

The suspect appeared before an Ontario judge by video link on Thursday. Bearded, with long, dishevelled hair, Bellefeuille spoke in a low raspy voice, blinked repeatedly and seemed mildly disoriented. A court-appointed lawyer said on his behalf that he was “extremely tired at this point and does not wish to answer any questions.”

Bellefeuille was remanded into custody and given a week to contact counsel. His next court appearance is on May 18.

The court issued a no-contact order between the accused and several individuals, including some of his neighbours.

Police said they believe the suspect was the resident of the home and they are not aware of anyone else who was at the residence. He was not injured during the arrest.

Carrique did not provide specifics on the suspect’s criminal record but said “this is not a case where this is an individual that we have been dealing with repeatedly for years.”

They said a long gun had been found at the scene but they could not confirm whether it was used in the incident.

Half a dozen police vehicles were parked outside the home where the shooting took place Thursday morning, as well as a large mobile support truck. Two more OPP vehicles blocked Laval Street, keeping people away from the scene.

The major crossroads in Bourget — Laval Street and Champlain Street — were closed when people came in to work in the morning. There was no reason given on site, but residents, by that time, had already heard why.

Clarence-Rockland Mayor Mario Zanth said the police officers were well known in the village. “We’re a small community, so this is hitting home for sure.”

Of the slain officer, the mayor said, “It’s the same thing that I can say about every single officer that puts their life on the line daily to keep us safe. He dedicated his life to protecting the public, and they’ll be remembered as such — as one of those that are local heroes.”

In a statement, Premier Doug Ford extended his thoughts to the family of Mueller, who he said was “senselessly killed in the line of duty.”

The Ontario Provincial Police Association said it was “devastated” to learn about the shooting.

“Our officer will forever be remembered as a hero in life,” the association representing OPP officers said in a statement.

There have been at least nine other police officers killed in Canada since September

Last weekend, the names of four officers killed in 2022 were added to the Ontario Police Memorial as part of an annual remembrance ceremony.

Toronto police Const. Andrew Hong was shot in what police described as an ambush on Sept. 12 at a Tim Hortons in Mississauga. A month later, South Simcoe police constables Devon Northrup and Morgan Russell were killed after they responded to a disturbance call in Innisfil, Ont.

Then on Dec. 27, OPP say Const. Greg Pierzchala was fatally shot in an ambush while responding to a call for a vehicle in a ditch.

The spate of police deaths across Canada is “unprecedented” and having a significant impact on officers and recruiting efforts, said the president of the Canadian Police Association.

“We’re kind of all reeling from the frequency that these tragedies are happening … and then the knock-on effect is it’s having a significant impact on families of police officers,” said Tom Stamatakis, president of the Canadian Police Association and a constable with Vancouver police.

Stamatakis, an officer for more than 30 years, said it seems the job has become more dangerous, possibly because of more access to firearms and a greater prevalence of mental health challenges in the general population.

“We’ve got to build the capacity in our in our support services,” Stamatakis said. “And by that, I mean our health-care systems, our social services, to be able to better support people so that we can avoid them falling into the type of crises or situation where this is the outcome.”

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OPP Sergeant Eric Mueller killed, two other officers injured

Postby Thomas » Fri May 19, 2023 7:46 am

OPP Sergeant Eric Mueller killed, two other officers injured east of Ottawa

One police officer was killed, and two others were injured in what Ontario Provincial Police say was an “ambush” as they responded to a call in a small community east of Ottawa early Thursday morning.

Sergeant Eric Mueller, 42, from the Russell County detachment, has been identified as the officer killed. The names of the two injured officers haven’t been released.

OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique said on Thursday that one of the injured officers, who is 43 years old with 19 years of OPP service, remains in hospital in stable, but critical condition. A 35-year-old officer with 10 years of service has been released from hospital and is recovering at home.

The three officers responded within minutes of each other to a home on Laval Street in Bourget, a village within the city of Clarence-Rockland. They arrived shortly after 2 a.m., after a nearby resident reported hearing gunshots, Commissioner Carrique said. Bourget is about 50 kilometres east of Ottawa.

A 39-year-old male suspect was arrested without incident by other officers who arrived to assist their colleagues after the shooting. Alain Bellefeuille has been charged with first-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder and remains in custody. Few details have been released about the accused, but Commissioner Carrique said he isn’t someone who the OPP have been “dealing with repeatedly for years.” A long gun was found at the scene.

Sgt. Mueller is the 10th police officer to have been killed in Canada since last September, and the sixth in Ontario.

OPP Constable Greg Pierzchala, 28, was fatally shot in December while responding to a call about a vehicle in a ditch near the small, southwestern community of Hagersville. Two people have been charged with first-degree murder in that case, including Randall McKenzie, who was out on bail at the time and subject to a lifetime firearms ban.

The recent violence has sparked calls from police groups to improve public safety and better protect officers. The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police met with Canada’s premiers in April to discuss how to address challenges such as gun and gang violence and bail reform.

Commissioner Carrique told reporters that Sgt. Mueller was a 21-year veteran of the service who started out as a special constable in Ottawa. He later served as a provincial constable and was promoted to the rank of sergeant in 2018. He will be remembered as a dedicated, exemplary officer, Commissioner Carrique said.

“He’s described by his colleagues as a coach, a mentor, someone that everybody looked up to, the glue that held his shift together and the best leader that many people ever had the privilege of working for,” he said. “Our hearts are broken.”

In a statement, the OPP Association said Sgt. Mueller had a wife and two young children.

Commissioner Carrique described the shootings as an ambush on the three officers, who were all shot within minutes of arriving on the scene.

No one else was believed to be inside the home at the time of the shooting and there were no other injuries, Commissioner Carrique said, adding that the home is believed to be the residence of the male suspect. The investigation continues.

The officers were transported to the Ottawa Hospital Civic Campus, where Sgt. Mueller died from his injuries.

Mario Zanth, the mayor of Clarence-Rockland, said the shooting was a shock for the community. Clarence-Rockland has a population of 26,505 people, according to the 2021 census, with around 1,100 people living in Bourget.

The officers involved “are local, they work here, they live here in the area, and they have a lot of friends and family in the area, so this is obviously devastating,” Mr. Zanth said.

Residents of the village, where conversations slip between French and English, said they were shaken.

“Something like this you don’t think could happen so close to you, and it really makes you re-evaluate things,” said Madison Bach, who since January has lived in a house down the street with her husband and their six-month-old daughter.

Jaclyn Young, another local, said the shooting had placed her family on edge.

“It’s nerve-racking to know that this happened,” she said. “An officer lost his life in our town due to protecting our community.”

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'Ambush' Police say that OPP officers were shot within minut

Postby Thomas » Fri May 19, 2023 7:49 am

'Ambush' Police say that OPP officers were shot within minutes of arriving at scene

An Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officer is dead and two others are injured following what officials are describing as an “ambush” attack at a home in eastern Ontario on Thursday morning.

Police say the three officers were responding to a call for the sounds of gunshots at a residence in Bourget, Ont. shortly after 2 a.m. when they were shot at by an assailant.

All three officers were transported to a hospital in Ottawa following the shooting.

One of the officers, identified as 42-year-old Sgt. Eric Mueller, has since died.

The suspect, 39-year-old Alain Bellefeuille, was not injured and was taken into custody. He has since been charged with first-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder. A long gun was also recovered at the scene, police say.

“That will form part of investigation but that is exactly how I would describe it based on the information I have,” OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique said when asked whether the incident amounted to an “ambush” during a press conference on Thursday afternoon. “When three officers arrive on scene and within minutes are shot - one is killed, another is very seriously and critically injured and another injured to the point of requiring medical attention – simply for arriving on scene I categorize that as an ambush.”

Police say that one of the injured officers, a 43-year-old man with 19 year on the job, remains in hospital in stable but critical condition. The other wounded officer, a 35-year-old man with 10 years on the job, was treated and released from hospital.

Carrique said that Mueller was an “exemplary officer” and a “family man” who was "murdered simply, selflessly serving his community."

"He is described by hiss colleagues as a coach, a mentor, someone that everyone looked up to and the glue that held the shift together,” he said. “Our hearts are broken as we remember Eric, we stand beside his family and we focus our attention on the recovery of the officers that have been physically injured and emotionally impacted."

So far few details are known about what may have lead up to the shooting.

Carrique said that investigators are still looking into the suspect’s background, however he said that it is not a case “where this is an individual that we have been dealing with repeatedly for years.”

He said that the quick arrest of a suspect is thanks to the “heroic" actions of OPP officers who "were responding in aid to their injured colleagues."

"As you can imagine our officers are highly trained and they were able to rely upon their training to safely apprehend the accused," he said.

As police continue to investigate the shooting, condolences are pouring in from across Ontario and the country.

Clarence-Rockland Mayor Mario Zanth said in a statement that he was “was saddened and dismayed” by the fatal incident.

“We have a very close relationship with the Ontario Provincial Police and our hearts go out to them,” Zanth said. “Sadly, today we mourn the loss of a serving officer. There are no words that can express the pain that the residents of the City of Clarence-Rockland are feeling at this time.”

He said flags at city hall would be flown at half-mast as a mark of respect.

Condolences started to pour in Thursday from other police forces and public officials.

“The death of OPP Sgt. Eric Mueller, who was senselessly killed in the line of duty, is devastating news,” Premier Doug Ford wrote in a tweet. “My thoughts are with his family and friends. Please join me in praying for his fellow officers as we await word on their condition. May God bless our heroes in uniform.”

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called it “awful news” and sent his condolences in a tweet.

“I’m sending my deepest condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of @OPP_News Sergeant Eric Mueller, who was killed in the line of duty, and I’m keeping the two injured officers in my thoughts,” Trudeau wrote.

OFFICER’S DEATH LATEST IN ‘TROUBLING TREND’ OF POLICE KILLINGS

The death of Sgt. Mueller marks the latest in a spate of incidents that have left officers dead over the past year or so.

Just this past weekend, Ontario added four names from 2022 to its memorial for officers killed in the line of duty. Those killed last year include Toronto police officer Andrew Hong, South Simcoe police constables Devon Northrup and Morgan Russell, and OPP Const. Grzegorz Pierzchala.

Const. Andrew Hong was gunned down in a Tim Horton’s while on a break from a training exercise in Mississauga on Sept. 12, 2022 by a suspect who was allegedly “looking for a police officer” and proceeded on a shooting spree around the GTA.

Northrup and Russell were fatally shot while responding to a disturbance call at a home in Innisfil Oct. 11, 2022.

Const. Pierzchala was fatally shot while responding to a broken down vehicle near Hagersville, Ont.

Even more officers were killed around the country over the past year.

“Well, I think we have to basically treat it like it's a troubling trend,” CTV Public Safety Analyst and former OPP commissioner Chris Lewis told CP24. “We can pray it was just a bad year, but the number of officers – 10 murdered in nine months basically – is just so troubling. That's the most officers murdered in the line of duty in Canada in a single year since 1961. So you know, I think that the bigger issue here is around mental health. “

Lewis said the pandemic and other factors have left “a lot of people hurting,” compounding mental illness, homelessness, strain on the health-care system and other problems.

“There's not necessarily enough professionals to deal with all of that,” Lewis said. “So the police end up dealing with the result.”

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One charged with murder in death of OPP officer, two more wo

Postby Thomas » Fri May 19, 2023 7:52 am

One charged with murder in death of OPP officer, two more wounded in early morning 'ambush' in rural Bourget

Court documents show that Alain Bellefeuille has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of Sgt. Eric Mueller

An Ontario Provincial Police officer was killed and two others were seriously wounded after a shooting early Thursday in the town of Bourget, southeast of Ottawa.

Sgt. Eric Mueller was killed when he and two other officers from the Russell County OPP detachment were sent to a “disturbance” at a home on Laval Street in Bourget, a town about a 45-minute drive southeast of Ottawa, at about 2 a.m. Thursday.

The two officers with Mueller were seriously wounded in the shooting incident, which OPP commissioner Thomas Carrique described as an ambush.

“When three officers arrive on the scene and within minutes are shot — one is killed, another very seriously and critically injured and another injured to the point of requiring medical attention for simply arriving on the scene — I would characterize that as an ambush,” Carrique told reporters Thursday afternoon.

A 39-year-old suspect was safely taken into custody by other officers responding to their injured colleagues, police said. Court documents show that Alain Bellefeuille has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of Mueller.

The OPP said in a media release that Bellefeuille, a Bourget resident, had also been charged with two counts of attempted murder.

One of the OPP officers who was injured, a 35-year-old man with 10 years of police service, was treated in hospital and was recovering at home.

The other injured officer, a 43-year-old man with 19 years of service, remained in hospital in stable condition as of Thursday afternoon.

Mueller was also transported to hospital, but died as a result of his injuries.

A long gun was found on the scene, but very few other details about the scene were released.

“With multiple people shot, it’s a very complicated crime scene,” Carrique said.

Mueller was mourned by colleagues and others on Thursday, with the Ontario Provincial Police Association saying that he “will forever be remembered as a hero in life.”

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Details emerge about suspect in OPP officer's death

Postby Thomas » Fri May 19, 2023 7:54 am

Alain Bellefeuille, 39, charged with 1st-degree murder, 2 counts of attempted murder

More details are emerging about the suspect in the Thursday killing of a police officer in the eastern Ontario community of Bourget.

One Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officer was shot dead and two others were injured in what OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique is calling an "ambush."

Police identified the officer who was killed as Sgt. Eric Mueller.

One of the injured officers, who is 35, was treated and released from hospital Thursday. The other, who is in his early 40s, remains in hospital in stable condition.

Police said in a news release Thursday afternoon that they had arrested 39-year-old Alain Bellefeuille.

Bellefeuille was charged with one count of first-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder. According to the Criminal Code of Canada, murder is automatically considered to be in the first degree when the victim is a police officer.

The charge sheet lists Bellefeuille's last known address as being on the same street where the shooting occurred.

He has three prior convictions: theft of $5,000 or less in 2009, and two traffic violations in 2019.

Bellefeuille appeared in court via video call from custody Thursday afternoon. He seemed fatigued and spoke with a hoarse voice.

A legal aid lawyer speaking on his behalf told court that Bellefeuille was "extremely tired" and hadn't slept since the incident occurred. Bellefeuille didn't wish to be questioned by police until he'd had some rest, the lawyer added.

Bellefeuille selected Ottawa-based criminal defence lawyer John Hale to defend him moving forward, the lawyer said.

His next court appearance is set for May 18.

What we know

Just after 2 a.m. Thursday, Mueller and two other officers responded to a report of a gunshot at a home on Laval Street in Bourget, Carrique said at a Thursday afternoon news conference.

Bourget is located about 50 kilometres east of downtown Ottawa in the municipality of Clarence-Rockland.

When they arrived, all three were shot by someone in the home, OPP said. The officers were taken to hospital in Ottawa, where Mueller died and the other two were treated for their wounds.

Carrique said it is his understanding the residence belonged to the shooter. He labelled the event an "ambush," citing how quickly the officers were shot after arriving.

Other OPP officers later arrived and were able to safely take the accused into custody, Carrique said. Officers from the Ottawa Police Service assisted the OPP Thursday.

Carrique said police recovered an unspecified type of long gun at the scene but added that a determination on whether it was the weapon responsible for the officers' injuries is part of the ongoing investigation.

The names of the two injured officers are protected by a statutory publication ban, the courthouse told CBC.

The Special Investigations Unit (SIU), Ontario's police watchdog, is not investigating the case. A spokesperson told CBC in an email it doesn't appear police seriously injured anyone.

'Senseless' tragedy

Charles Bordeleau, who was Ottawa's chief of police from 2012 to 2019, said he woke Thursday morning to a pit in his stomach.

Bordeleau said he attends a memorial service for slain officers each year, hoping no new officers will be killed on the job.

"But the sad reality is that we continue to add names to that long list of officers who have been killed in the line of duty," he said.

Five Ontario police officers who died in the line of duty this past year were honoured in Toronto on Sunday. Since September, Carrique said 10 officers across Canada have died in the line of duty.

Mark Baxter, president of the Police Association of Ontario, said officers are angry and frustrated by recent police deaths.

"It's just so senseless and tragic," he said. "We need our police to be safe when they're at work. Policing is a noble and necessary profession."

Baxter said the entire policing community is mourning.

"Everyone who goes to work should be able to get home to their family, to their children, to their partner when their shift is over."

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Fatal shooting of OPP officer was no ambush, say lawyers for

Postby Thomas » Sat May 20, 2023 6:12 am

Fatal shooting of OPP officer was no ambush, say lawyers for accused

Alain Bellefeuille has been charged with killing Sgt. Eric Mueller, injuring 2 other officers

Lawyers for the man accused of killing an Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officer east of Ottawa say the shooting was not an "ambush" as police have characterized it.

In the early morning hours of May 11, Sgt. Eric Mueller and two of his colleagues responded to a home in Bourget, Ont., after someone reported hearing a gunshot, the OPP said.

Within minutes of their arrival, the OPP said all three officers were shot by someone at the home. The officers were taken to hospital in Ottawa. Mueller died from his injuries.

"This was not an ambush," wrote John Hale and Cassandra Richards, the lawyers for Alain Bellefeuille. They shared a statement with CBC on Friday, which was first reported by The Ottawa Citizen.

"We're very concerned that the public, including potential jury members for any trial down the road, might already have made up their minds that this was an ambush," Hale later said in an interview.

"It's a pretty loaded term that implies essentially that Mr. Bellefeuille set a trap, that he lured police officers for the purpose of shooting them. And this was absolutely not the case."

Bellefeuille, 39, has been charged with one count of first-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder.

OPP refused to make any further comments Friday, saying the matter is now before the courts.

Bellefeuille in bed when police entered home: lawyer

Hale said he and Richards have had a couple of lengthy meetings with Bellefeuille to discuss what happened on May 11.

Bellefeuille did not expect police to show up at his home, nor was he the person who had first reported a gunshot, they said.

"He had worked a full day and had recently gone to bed with plans of getting up early in the morning for work," according to the statement.

"He was in his bed with the lights off, falling asleep, when one or more officers entered his home."

Bellefeuille only contacted 911 as "a call for help" after the shooting, they added.

The lawyers' statement does not detail how the officers were shot. Bellefeuille remains in custody and will be back in court June 13.

"Any other information about Mr. Bellefeuille's actions that morning, including the hours leading up to it, will be reserved for trial," Hale and Richards said.

OPP commissioner's comments

On the day of the shooting, the OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique held a news conference where he stated Mueller and his colleagues were the victims of an "ambush" when arriving at the scene.

When pressed about that wording, Carrique said, "That's exactly how I would describe it based on the information that I have.

"When three officers arrive on scene and within minutes are shot, one is killed, another is very seriously and critically injured, and another injured to the point of requiring medical attention for simply arriving on scene, I categorize that as an ambush," he said.

One of the two officers was released from hospital last week, while the other remains in hospital in stable condition, the OPP said Thursday.

After the shooting, other officers arrived and arrested Bellefeuille "without incident," according to the OPP.

It remains unclear what happened between the time the officers were shot and the time their backup arrested Bellefeuille.

Shooting becoming 'politicized,' says lawyer

The OPP held a police funeral for Mueller at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa on Thursday that drew thousands of grieving police officers.

John Cerasuolo, the president of the Ontario Provincial Police Association, spoke at the event and addressed the two surviving officers, again using the term "ambush."

"In an ambush situation, no one can see this coming. You both did the best that you could, and we thank you for that," Cerasuolo said.

The funeral also was attended by several high-ranking public officials, including Ontario Premier Doug Ford.

"Attacks against police officers will never, ever be tolerated in this province," Ford said at the funeral. "As premier, I'll do whatever it takes to protect you and the communities you serve."

Hale said he and Richards decided to wait until after the police funeral before making any statements about the case.

"It would be unfortunate to see this really tragic incident politicized, but that seems to be what's happening," Hale said.

Little is known about Bellefeuille, but Hale said he is a skilled labourer known for the quality of his work.

"This is an outlier in his life," Hale said. "There's no sign along the way that would show that anything like this would have ever happened."

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Shooting that killed OPP officer in Bourget was not an ambus

Postby Thomas » Sat May 20, 2023 6:12 am

Shooting that killed OPP officer in Bourget was not an ambush: accused man's lawyers

TORONTO — The lawyers for a man accused of killing an Ontario Provincial Police officer and injuring two others are disputing the characterization of the shooting in Bourget, Ont., as an ambush.

Alain Bellefeuille, 39, is charged with one count of first-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder in a May 11 shooting that left OPP Sgt. Eric Mueller dead.

At the time, OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique said that Mueller and two other officers were "ambushed and shot" when they responded to a report of a disturbance at a home in Bourget, east of Ottawa.

“This was not an ambush," Bellefeuille's lawyers, John Hale and Cassandra Richards, said in a statement on Friday.

"We trust that the public – including potential jurors – will remain open to the possibility of an alternate account of events.”

The statement said that Bellefeuille "neither requested nor expected the police to show up at his home in the middle of the night."

It said Bellefeuille was falling asleep in his bed, with the lights off, when police arrived and that he only called 911 "for help" after the incident.

The lawyers said they will not be commenting further and that any other information about his actions that day “will be reserved for trial.”

Mueller, a 42-year-old father of two, was described as an exemplary officer by his colleagues and those who paid their final respects at his funeral this week. He is the 10th police officer to be killed on the job in Canada since September 2022, and the fifth to be fatally shot in Ontario during the same time period.

The Special Investigations Unit, Ontario's police watchdog, is investigating after the OPP's forensic team discovered evidence that one of the surviving officers shot his gun at some point after they arrived on scene.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May, 19, 2023.

https://www.elliotlaketoday.com/ontario ... rs-7028351

https://www.cp24.com/news/shooting-that ... -1.6406689

https://toronto.citynews.ca/2023/05/19/ ... -lawyerrs/
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Accused cop killer's lawyers say Sgt. Eric Mueller's death '

Postby Thomas » Sat May 20, 2023 6:13 am

Accused cop killer's lawyers say Sgt. Eric Mueller's death 'was not an ambush'

The lawyers for the man accused of killing Ontario Provincial Police Sgt. Eric Mueller say the officer was not ambushed, contradicting the OPP commissioner's description of the incident.

Lawyers John Hale and Cassandra Richards released a statement on behalf of Alain Bellefeuille, who is facing one count of first-degree murder in the death of Sgt. Mueller and two counts of attempted murder.

OPP say the three officers responded to a call for a disturbance at a home on Laval Street in Bourget, Ont., east of Ottawa, in the early morning hours of May 11.

"They arrived at a residence on Laval Street in Bourget, and upon arrival three of our officers were ambushed and shot," OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique said in a news conference later that day.

In a statement on Friday afternoon, Bellefeuille's lawyers rebuked the comments made by Carrique.

"This was not an ambush," the statement says."We trust that the public – including potential jurors – will remain open to the possibility of an alternate account of events."

The statement says Bellefeuille "neither requested nor expected" officers to show up at his home in the middle of the night.

"He had worked a full day, and had recently gone to bed with plans of getting up early in the morning for work. He was in his bed with the lights off, falling asleep, when one or more officers entered his home," the statement said.

"Mr. Bellefeuille made only one 9-1-1 call that morning, a call for help after the incident took place."

Sgt. Mueller, 42, died following the shooting, while two other officers were treated for injuries. One of them remains in hospital receiving treatment.

Carrique was asked to elaborate on why he described the incident as an ambush.

"Based on the information that I have, when three officers arrive on the scene and within minutes are shot, one is killed, another very seriously and critically injured and another injured to the point of requiring medical attention for simply arriving on the scene….I categorize that as an ambush," Carrique said last week.

Mueller's funeral was held at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa on Thursday. He leaves behind a wife and two children.

Bellefeuille made a brief court appearance in L'Orignal, Ont. on Thursday and will remain in custody until his next court appearance on June 13.

"We will not be commenting further about Mr. Bellefeuille’s involvement in the May 11 shooting," his lawyers said. "Any other information about Mr. Bellefeuille’s actions that morning, including the hours leading up to it, will be reserved for trial."

Ontario Provincial Police continue to investigate.

The Special Investigations Unit has invoked its mandate and is investigating the discharging of a firearm by a police officer during the "Bourget interaction." The SIU said on Tuesday it was notified by the OPP that one of the surviving officers had fired his gun at some point during the interaction.

"While no one was struck as a result of the police firearm discharge, the SIU has invoked its mandate to look at that aspect of the incident," the SIU said in a statement.

https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/accused-cop-k ... -1.6406515
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Shooting that killed an OPP officer in Bourget was not an ‘a

Postby Thomas » Sun May 21, 2023 1:11 pm

Shooting that killed an OPP officer in Bourget was not an ‘ambush,’ accused’s lawyers say

Alain Bellefeuille, 39, is charged with one count of first-degree murder in the shooting of 42-year-old Sgt. Eric Mueller, and two counts of attempted murder after a tragic shooting that took place on May 11.

OTTAWA A shooting in Bourget that left an Ontario Provincial Police officer dead was not an “ambush,” the accused shooter’s defence attorneys said in a statement Friday.

Alain Bellefeuille, 39, is charged with one count of first-degree murder in the shooting of 42-year-old Sgt. Eric Mueller, and two counts of attempted murder after the tragic shooting that took place on May 11.

Mueller and two other officers were shot when they responded to a disturbance call in the small town of Bourget, east of Ottawa, after neighbours complained about the sound of gunshots.

Mueller died later in an Ottawa hospital, while the other two officers were injured but survived.

“This was not an ambush,” said John Hale and Cassandra Richards, the lawyers for Bellefeuille in a statement to the media.

“We trust that the public – including potential jurors – will remain open to the possibility of an alternate account of events. Mr. Bellefeuille neither requested nor expected the police to show up at his home in the middle of the night,” said Hale.

“He was in his bed with the lights off, falling asleep, when one or more officers entered his home.”

The counsellors statement also revealed that Bellefeuille made one 911 call that morning, which the statement said was “a call for help after the incident took place.”

Bellefeuille had worked a full day, and had gone to bed with plans of getting up early in the morning for work, Hale said.

The statement did not provide any further information but said that the accused’s actions that morning, including the hours leading up to the incident, will be reserved for trial.

Ontario Provincial Police Commissioner Thomas Carrique made a statement on the day of the incident in which he described the shooting as an “ambush.”

Bellefeuille looked dishevelled and tired on his first court appearance last Thursday. A court-appointed lawyer speaking on his behalf said he had barely slept and didn’t want to answer any questions until he had some rest.

Bellefeuille made a brief court appearance yesterday in L’Orignal, Ont., which lasted around 3 minutes according to his lawyers. He remains in custody and his next court appearance is June 13.

On Tuesday Ontario’s police watchdog said it will investigate evidence suggesting an officer fired his gun during the incident.

The SIU said it was notified by an OPP forensic team that one of the surviving officers may have discharged his firearm during the shooting.

The SIU said no one was struck when that gun was fired.

Bellefeuille lived alone in a house tucked into the forest and was unemployed but did odd jobs for cash, village residents who knew him told the Star in the aftermath of the shocking events.

In the close-knit village of 1,200 people, Bellefeuille was known as a hunter, a dog owner and a man who kept to himself and had few close relationships.

Bellefeuille owned a gun and would sometimes shoot rabbits in his backyard, one neighbour who knew him told the Star last week, adding that didn’t strike her as unusual in a rural community.

https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/202 ... s-say.html

https://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/ts/ ... s-say.html
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Rifle seized at scene of Sgt. Eric Mueller’s killing was law

Postby Thomas » Thu May 25, 2023 1:31 pm

Rifle seized at scene of Sgt. Eric Mueller’s killing was lawfully owned, says accused’s lawyer

The rifle seized from the home of accused cop killer Alain Bellefeuille was lawfully owned, and he called 911 to report shots fired after people entered his home with flashlights around 2 a.m. on May 11, according to his lawyer.

Three Ontario Provincial Police officers were responding to a 911 call on Laval Street in Bourget from a neighbour who said they thought they heard a gunshot.

One or more OPP officers are believed to have entered the home. All three responding officers were shot.

One of the officers discharged their firearm and the Special Investigations Unit, Ontario’s police watchdog, is investigating.

Sgt. Eric Mueller was killed and the two other officers were injured. Bellefeuille has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of Mueller, as well as two counts of attempted murder.

Hours after the shootings, and before forensics were complete, OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique said at a televised press conference the officers were ambushed and shot.

Bellefeuille, 39, says the police narrative is way off and that it was anything but an ambush.

“This was not an ambush,” his lawyers John Hale and Cassandra Richards said on his behalf last week.

Bellefeuille’s lawyers firmly believe the OPP commissioner’s comments may taint the potential jury pool and thwart the accused killer’s right to a fair trial.

“We trust that the public — including potential jurors — will remain open to the possibility of an alternate account of events,” the lawyers said in a statement.

Bellefeuille neither requested nor expected the police to show up at his home in the middle of the night, his lawyers said.

He had worked a full day in Orléans doing drywall and painting, and had just gone to bed.

The lights were off and he was falling asleep when one or more officers entered his home, according to the statement.

Bellefeuille was arrested and later housed in solitary confinement. He remains in jail awaiting trial. He lived with a chocolate lab named Phoenix, who was brought to the Humane Society after his arrest and put up for adoption.

The OPP commissioner also told reporters that a long arm had been found at the crime scene but gave no other details.

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-ne ... ned-lawyer

https://www.thesudburystar.com/news/loc ... 6e20e3173f
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