The procession for fallen officer Const. Rick O’Brien rolled through Abbotsford on Tuesday (Sept. 26) afternoon, as his body was escorted from the Abbotsford Regional Hospital to a local funeral home.
Dozens of vehicles travelled along Highway 1 for the ceremony, which began at approximately 1 p.m.
Highway 1 was briefly closed to allow the procession to move as a group. Members of the public and media were encouraged to view the procession at Abbotsford overpasses, including McCallum Road, Clearbrook Road, Peardonville Road, Fraser Highway and Mt. Lehman Road.
The procession for Maple Ridge Mountie Const. Frederick (Rick) O’Brien is rolling through Abbotsford. O’Brien was killed in the line of duty on Friday. pic.twitter.com/X5HbyY8sIk
— Ben Lypka (@BenLypka) September 26, 2023
The entire procession lasted about 10 minutes.
O’Brien was killed after an incident in Coquitlam on Friday (Sept. 22). He was a seven-year member with the Ridge Meadows RCMP detachment, having joined on Sept. 19, 2016.
He was born in Ottawa and left behind a wife and children. O’Brien was one of several officers executing a search warrant at a residence in Coquitlam, near the intersection of Pinetree Way and Glen Drive. There was an altercation between the officers and a man, which led to multiple officers being injured and the man being shot.
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B.C. Emergency Health Services transported them to hospital, but O’Brien died of his injuries. The other two officers were treated for their injuries and have since been released from hospital.
An online fundraiser has also been set up by the National Police Federation Benevolent Foundation to help collect money for the family of Const. O’Brien.
The fundraiser has already surpassed $45,000 in less than 20 hours, with the NDF Benevolent Foundation saying that all of the funds (minus the GoFundMe fees) will go to Const. O’Brien’s family to assist with any upcoming expenses.
Donations can be made by visiting gofundme.com/f/in-memory-of-cst-obrien.
- With files from: Lauren Collins/Black Press Media
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