RCMP Mourn the Loss of Four Members

Mayerthorpe, Alberta March 4, 2005

Background
On March 2, 2005, two members of the RCMP attended a rural residence outside of Mayerthorpe, in the County of St. Anne, to assist with a court order seizure of property, with the intent of keeping the peace. As a result of our members attendance evidence was obtained which resulted in a search warrant being sworn and secured for a marihuana grow operation.

At approximately 04:30 a.m. on March 3, 2005, two uniform members were left to secure the property until Edmonton RCMP Auto Theft Unit members attended the location to conduct a search of the property for stolen goods. Just prior to 9:00 a.m., two additional uniform members attended the residence. At 9:15 a.m., two members of the Edmonton RCMP Auto Theft Unit arrived at the residence, and upon exiting the vehicle, heard shots being fired inside a quonset hut on the property. A male suspect exited the quonset and fired a number of shots at Auto Theft members, who returned fire. The male was in possession of a rapid fire auto carbine assault style rifle. This suspect retreated inside the quonset. Members of Edmonton and Red Deer Emergency Response Teams were immediately deployed along with other Support Units.

At 1418 hours March 3, 2005, after securing the scene, four of our members were located inside the quonset, and appeared to have succumbed to gunshot wounds. The male suspect has been positively identified as James ROSZKO, who was also located deceased within the same building. Initial indications are that no resistance was encountered by our entry teams.

Update

The names of our deceased members are as follows:

• Cst. Peter Christopher SCHIEMANN (age 25) of
  Mayerthorpe Detachment
• Cst. Anthony Fitzgerald Orion GORDON (age 28) of
  Whitecourt Detachment
• Cst. Lionide Nicholas JOHNSTON (age 32) of
  Mayerthorpe Detachment
• Cst. Brock Warren MYROL ( age 29) of
  Mayerthorpe Detachment

Funeral arrangements have not been finalized at this time. As information becomes available it will be disseminated in as timely a manner as possible.

I would ask the media to refrain from calling our Operational Communication Center (OCC) , Mayerthorpe and Whitecourt Detachments as all media queries are being handled by “K” Division Media Relations. Please appreciate the number of phone calls is somewhat over whelming right now and we must keep our OCC and Detachment phone line clear for our regular policing requests.

- 30 -

Media Contact

Wayne A. Oakes, Cpl
Media Relations Officer
RCMP “K” Division
Media & Communications Services
780 - 786 - 2291 Mayerthorpe Det