St. Albert grieves for RCMP Const. David Wynn as questions about gunman linger

WATCH: Reid Fiest reports on how the shooting at the Apex Casino unfolded and how the community is responding to the tragedy.

Alberta RCMP said it was a routine license plate check that led to Const. David Wynn being mortally wounded in a confrontation at a St. Albert casino on Saturday.

Mounties said Wynn and Auxiliary Const. Derek Bond had just identified a truck with license plates that didn’t match registration, outside the Apex Casino, when 34-year-old Shawn Maxwell Rehn fired at the officers.

Wynn, who was shot in the head at close range, was not expected to survive. His family made the decision to take him off life support on Monday. Bond was seriously injured but released from hospital Saturday night.

READ MORE: ‘I don’t think there was anything we could have done’: RCMP on St. Albert shooting

With the whole town grieving, the organizers of a white ribbon campaign are trying to drum up support Wynn’s family.

READ MORE: St. Albert residents create white ribbons as symbol of support

A prayer service for the Wynn family was set take place in St. Albert Tuesday night.

Questions linger about why Rehn, who had an exhaustive criminal history, was free on the streets.

Alberta Justice Minister Jonathan Denis hasn’t responded to RCMP Commissioner Bob Paulson’s criticisms about Rehn’s criminal record.

Wildrose opposition MLA Shane Saskiw slammed the minister for staying silent. “I think it would be important for the justice minister to attempt to reassure Albertans that our justice system isn’t going to fail like this in the future,” he said.

With no answer why Rehn wasn’t behind bars, Shannon Prithipaul of the Criminal Lawyers’ Association said it’s not fair to just point fingers at the courts.

“If we failed in some way, it’s collectively and I would say it’s because someone ought to have intervened with this individual a lot earlier,” said Prithipaul. “Jail clearly wasn’t working.”