Canada shooting: Thousands of Mounties attend funeral of three officers shot dead in Moncton last week
10 sites were organised across the city to accommodate mourners
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Your support makes all the difference.Almost 3,000 police officers from across Canada gathered in Moncton, New Brunswick on Tuesday, to pay their respects at the funeral of three Mounties who were shot dead by gunman Justin Bourque last week.
Pipers and drummers led mourners at the service for Constables Fabrice Gevaudan, 45, Douglas Larche, 40, and Dave Ross, 32, in the Canadian city, following the deadliest attack on Canada's national police force in nearly a decade.
10 additional sites were organised around the city to accommodate those mourning the deaths of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) officers.
Members of the RCMP and municipal police forces, correctional officers and US border patrol officers, were among around 2,700 people who marched at the ceremony.
The force's trademark beige RCMP Stetson hats were displayed on top of the men's caskets during the ceremony.
Danny, a police dog that served with Mr Ross, was led inside and whimpered during the funeral.
The three officers were killed last Wednesday when they were called out in response to a report of a man carrying firearms.
Mr Ross's brother-in-law, Adrian Vander Ploeg, recalled how the officer was making dinner, but had immediately stopped to be among the first on the scene last Wednesday.
He had left the lid of his barbecue up and his garage door open, Mr Ploeg added.
“For those closest to Dave, that barbecue left still open says everything about who Dave was and his devotion to those around him,” Vander Ploeg said.
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper was among those to pay tribute to the officers on Tuesday.
“Together, we struggle for answers,” he said, adding: “We ask what in God's name happened here and why. We may never know.”
24-year-old Bourque was arrested on Friday, and charged with three counts of murder, and two attempted murders.
Additional reporting by AP
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