Residents of St. Albert, Alta. left their porch lights on overnight as a tribute to the two RCMP officers who were critically injured following a shooting in a casino outside Edmonton early Saturday.
As a sign of support and appreciation for the two wounded Mounties a post on the Community of St. Albert Facebook page asked people to leave their porch lights on Saturday night.
“Please leave your porch light on tonight as a show of solidarity and appreciation with the RCMP and other protective services,” reads a post on the Community of St. Albert Facebook page.
“Even as they drive by tonight, they can know that the thoughts and goodwill of St. Albert are with them, a gleaming light in these dark hours.”
READ MORE: St. Albert RCMP shooter identified as Shawn Rehn
Const. David Matthew Wynn, 42, and Auxiliary Const. Derek Walter Bond, 49, were responding to a report of a stolen vehicle when they were shot inside the Apex Casino early Saturday morning. The suspect, identified as 34-year-old Shawn Rehn, was found dead inside an empty home following a manhunt around a nearby golf course.
Wynn, who joined the RCMP in 2009, remained in grave condition Saturday evening. Bond, who has worked with the RCMP in a volunteer capacity since 2008, was taken to hospital in serious but stable condition and released from hospital Saturday night.
“We are very concerned for his survival,” RCMP assistant commissioner Marlin Degrand said Saturday night of Officer Wynn.
Concerned residents also expressed their gratitude to the officers on Twitter using the hashtag #LightsOnForStAlbert.
Some residents of the normally quiet bedroom community of St. Albert were shaken following the tense manhunt.
READ MORE: ‘It was a little eerie:’ St. Albert resident as RCMP searched for shooting suspect
“There was probably about 13 cop cars, the big tactical unit, several SUVs,” said resident Daryl Zelinski. “It was a pretty scary situation. We live in a quiet neighbourhood and we love living here and you never see this sort of stuff.”
*With files from Global’s Caley Ramsay
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