An Alberta man accused of fatally shooting a police officer in B.C. on Monday has been charged with murder and his family has released a statement saying he struggled with mental health issues.
The incident began at the Fraser Valley Auto Mall, when someone called police about a Mustang that had been reported stolen.
The caller blocked the Mustang with his own vehicle and that's when the suspect got out and opened fire at the caller and others with a shotgun.
Abbotsford police arrived and exchanged gunfire with the suspect and one officer was injured in the shootout.
The suspect fled in the stolen car, but officers caught up with him on the Fraser Highway and shots were fired. No civilians were harmed in the incident, but bullets did hit a number of vehicles.
The police officer that was wounded in the original incident succumbed to his injuries and has been identified as Constable John Davidson, a 24-year veteran with the police force.
Davidson leaves behind a wife and three adult children and Abbotsford Police Chief Bob Rich says he spoke with Davidson's family on Monday, hailing him as a hero.
"Our officers' actions today, all of them, were absolutely heroic," said Rich. "The officer who gave his life today is a hero. He was protecting this community. He will always be my hero."
A memorial has been set up at the Abbotsford Police Department in honour of Davidson and many police stations across the country, including here in Calgary, have offered condolences.
Oscar Ferdinand Arfmann, 65, of Alberta has been charged with one count of murder.
The Arfmann family released a statement to CTV News on Tuesday evening saying…
“At this time the Arfmann family would like to extend their deepest condolences to Constable John Davidson’s family and the Abbotsford Police Department. Oscar Arfmann lost his wife in April on 2013 and after losing his wife he was really never the same. He had been admitted into St. Paul Hospital in July of 2015 for a mental evaluation and was released three days later. He has struggled with mental health issues, family members had tried to seek help for him but he refused to go to the doctor.”
Family members say the retired truck driver sold his property in St. Paul and that he had bought a motorhome and was planning on spending some time in B.C. with family.
They believe he left three to four weeks ago and say they had not spoken to him in a while.
Arfmann was shot by police but the extent of his injuries has not been confirmed.
"Our top priority is to learn as much as we can about Mr. Arfmann, what he was doing in Abbotsford and what he was doing in Alberta. Any friends or associates in B.C. that could shed some light as to the question you just raised about why he was here what he was doing," said Cpl. Frank Jang. "To my knowledge right now Mr. Arfmann is charged with one count of first-degree murder."
Police say Arfmann does not have a criminal record in B.C. or Alberta and that he remains in hospital.
(With files from the Canadian Press and bc.ctvnews.ca)
