Two Edmonton police officers fatally shot in line of duty
Suspect, 16, also shot his mother before killing himself, according to source
Officers embraced each other and wiped away tears Thursday as Edmonton’s police chief relayed details of how two constables were shot and killed at an apartment complex while responding to a domestic violence call.
“Today, the Edmonton Police Service has been marked by an unthinkable and horrific tragedy as two of our members have died in the line of duty,” Chief Dale McFee said at a solemn news conference at police headquarters, packed with more than 100 officers and police staff.
McFee identified the officers who died as Const. Travis Jordan, 35, an 8 1/2-year veteran with the Edmonton force, and Const. Brett Ryan, 30, who had been with the service for 5 1/2 years.
A police source said the suspect who shot and killed the officers was 16 years old and had also shot and wounded his mother. The suspect was found dead from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said.
McFee said the officers were called shortly before 1 a.m. to a family dispute at an apartment building in northwest Edmonton, part of a large red-brick complex of threestorey walk-ups.
They went inside the building, approached the suite and were shot, he said. “All indications are they did not have a chance to discharge their firearms.”
The officers were rushed to hospital by colleagues who worked to keep them alive, said McFee. They were declared dead at hospital.
A woman, who police said is related to the suspect, was taken with life-threatening injuries to hospital, where she remained in serious but stable condition.
McFee said supports are being offered to the officers’ families and colleagues.
Memories of the officers have begun to trickle out. In his spare time, Ryan was a minor hockey official.
“Brett Ryan was a pillar within our community and will be missed by all who knew him,” said a social media post from the Spruce Grove Minor Hockey Association. “We take this time to honour his life and the contributions he has made to the Edmonton community and beyond.”
Ryan’s friend Darcy Carter said Ryan was a paramedic before he became a police officer, adding he was passionate about his work and his duty to serve the community.
“That’s something that I’ll never forget … just his face lighting up when he talked about his job,” Carter said. Carter said Ryan was also about to become a father for the first time, as his wife is expecting. Jordan was remembered as kind. In 2020, Jessica Shmigelsky was driving to work after a heavy spring snowfall. Her snowbrush had broken and Jordan pulled her over because she had too much snow on her vehicle. Instead of giving her a ticket, he brushed off her car.
“He did his job and he did more than what his job really entailed,” said Shmigelsky She still has the snowbrush Jordan gave her.
Police officers lined the street near the medical examiner’s office as an escort carrying the bodies arrived, saluting their fallen comrades. Flowers were also placed outside the west division police station, where the slain officers worked and where flags flew at halfmast.
Mike Ellis, Alberta’s minister of public safety and a former police officer, was visibly shaken as he spoke. “Every day, police officers across Alberta put their uniforms on and they protect and serve their communities. The sudden and tragic death of these two Edmonton Police Service officers reminds us again of the dangers the police officers face on a daily basis.”
Thursday’s killings are the first among the Edmonton Police Service since 2015.