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Shots rang out between Walton and Winthrop at approximately 10:30 a.m. on Monday, March 8, leaving an Ontario Provincial Police officer killed in action, and one suspect in an unkown condition.
OPP Commisioner Julian Fantino reported that 37-year-old Constable Vu Pham of Wingham pulled a white pick-up truck over on North Line. The approximately 70-year-old suspect exited his vehicle, toting a rifle, according to eyewitness reports.
“He took the initiative to intercept an individual and that individual is the person who shot him,” Commissioner Fantino said. “He was just doing his job.”
Pham was incapacitated by a critical hit, according to Fantino, and other officers arrived at the scene to try and subdue the suspect.
What ensued was, according to Faith Weber, an eyewitness from Brussels who was travelling on North Line, a close range gunfight, with approximately 20 shots fired.
After the suspect was shot, officers were able to apprehend the him.
The investigation resulted in North Line, as well as a two kilometre area radiating from the scene, being closed off to public traffic.
The weapons fire began close to 85352 North Line, according to Special Investigation Unit spokeswoman Monica Hudon, with the police officer and suspect facing each other from opposite sides of the road in a ditch.
Both Pham, who has 15 years experience with the OPP, and the suspect were taken to Victoria Hospital in London, Pham by air ambulance, and the suspect by ground.
Pham died due to his injuries at at London’s Health Sciences building, according to Fantino, and was, in his words, in grave condition from the moment he was brought in..
Fantino said the prayers and thoughts of Ontario’s policing community are with Pham’s wife, Heather, and his three children, 12-year-old Tyler, 10-year-old Jordan, and 7-year-old Joshua.
“I am deeply saddened by the loss of this brave young officer who was commited to protecting the citizens of Ontario,” Fantino said in a press conference late on Monday, March 9.
Pham’s children are students at Turnberry Public School, and play hockey in Wingham.
Pham was born in Saigon, Vietnam.
Charges are pending against the suspect. The slaying of a police officer, even by accident, is considered first degree murder, has a mandatory sentence of life in prison with no parole for 25 years.
104 OPP officers have been killed in action in the police service’s 100-year history. Twenty-four of those officers were shot.
Shots rang out between Walton and Winthrop at approximately 10:30 a.m. on Monday, March 8, leaving an Ontario Provincial Police officer killed in action, and one suspect in an unkown condition.
OPP Commisioner Julian Fantino reported that 37-year-old Constable Vu Pham of Wingham pulled a white pick-up truck over on North Line. The approximately 70-year-old suspect exited his vehicle, toting a rifle, according to eyewitness reports.
“He took the initiative to intercept an individual and that individual is the person who shot him,” Commissioner Fantino said. “He was just doing his job.”
Pham was incapacitated by a critical hit, according to Fantino, and other officers arrived at the scene to try and subdue the suspect.
What ensued was, according to Faith Weber, an eyewitness from Brussels who was travelling on North Line, a close range gunfight, with approximately 20 shots fired.
After the suspect was shot, officers were able to apprehend the him.
The investigation resulted in North Line, as well as a two kilometre area radiating from the scene, being closed off to public traffic.
The weapons fire began close to 85352 North Line, according to Special Investigation Unit spokeswoman Monica Hudon, with the police officer and suspect facing each other from opposite sides of the road in a ditch.
Both Pham, who has 15 years experience with the OPP, and the suspect were taken to Victoria Hospital in London, Pham by air ambulance, and the suspect by ground.
Pham died due to his injuries at at London’s Health Sciences building, according to Fantino, and was, in his words, in grave condition from the moment he was brought in..
Fantino said the prayers and thoughts of Ontario’s policing community are with Pham’s wife, Heather, and his three children, 12-year-old Tyler, 10-year-old Jordan, and 7-year-old Joshua.
“I am deeply saddened by the loss of this brave young officer who was commited to protecting the citizens of Ontario,” Fantino said in a press conference late on Monday, March 9.
Pham’s children are students at Turnberry Public School, and play hockey in Wingham.
Pham was born in Saigon, Vietnam.
Charges are pending against the suspect. The slaying of a police officer, even by accident, is considered first degree murder, has a mandatory sentence of life in prison with no parole for 25 years.
104 OPP officers have been killed in action in the police service’s 100-year history. Twenty-four of those officers were shot. |
