Thousands of first responders lined the streets in Vancouver and Burnaby, B.C., on Thursday to honour the life of Burnaby RCMP Const. Shaelyn Yang, who died Tuesday in the line of duty.
Yang, 31, was responding to a name a couple of tent in an area park when she was fatally stabbed.
“She was a loving spouse, a sister, and a daughter,” Dwayne McDonald, the deputy commissioner of the B.C. RCMP, instructed a information convention on Tuesday.
“Those she labored with earlier than becoming a member of the RCMP and her police colleagues described Const. Yang as a form and compassionate individual, which makes her loss of life much more troublesome to settle for … Her loss is immeasurable.”
WATCH | First responders line streets to pay tribute to fallen Burnaby RCMP officer
Thousands of police and different first responders lined the streets because the physique of RCMP officer Const. Shaelyn Yang was transported between Vancouver General Hospital and Burnaby Hospital Thursday morning.
The procession made its manner from Vancouver General Hospital to Burnaby Hospital.
Another procession is deliberate for Thursday night from Burnaby Hospital to Surrey.
On Friday, a procession from Surrey to Richmond is deliberate for two p.m. PT. Burnaby RCMP says it’s not making the routes public.
“We thank the general public for his or her persistence throughout these instances,” the power stated in a information launch.
‘Many youngsters noticed her as a job model’
Members of British Columbia’s Taiwanese Canadian group are additionally paying tribute to the Burnaby Mountie.
William Tsai, a resident of Richmond, B.C., says he bought to know Yang, who additionally glided by the given title Tzu-Hsin, 4 years in the past when she was a civilian volunteer engaged on elevating psychological well being consciousness amongst youngsters.
“Her ardour and dedication to lifting up others shone by way of after I met her years in the past,” stated Tsai in an interview performed in Mandarin.
“Her volunteering companies left youngsters feeling impressed with targets of making a distinction in others’ lives, identical to her. Many youngsters noticed her as a job model.”
He says the loss of life of the 31-year-old officer has left the group heartbroken however proud.
“We felt heartbroken upon listening to the tragic information but additionally proud of her as a result of of her contributions to Canada,” he stated.
Yang, who was a homeless and psychological well being outreach officer, was partnered with a municipal employee on Tuesday when she was fatally stabbed in an altercation at a homeless campsite in Burnaby, east of Vancouver.
McDonald stated she had been a police officer since 2019.
Parents flying from Taiwan to Canada for funeral
Ruby Ba, the president of the B.C.’s Taiwanese Canadian Association, says the group will do no matter it could to assist Yang’s household and has been in contact with the RCMP about holding a memorial in her honour.
“The Taiwanese group has been speaking about paying tribute to Const. Yang … We shall be there every time and wherever we will to assist out.
“Right now, we’re simply ready to see if there are any additional bulletins launched to the general public by the police,” stated Ba.
The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, Taiwan’s de facto diplomatic workplace in Vancouver, says Yang was the daughter of immigrants from Taichung in central Taiwan and her mother and father will fly from Taiwan to Vancouver to attend Yang’s funeral.
“We have been in contact with the household and can present all help and assist to the household,” stated a spokesperson.
Tsai says group members hope to maintain a memorial subsequent month to pay tribute to Yang’s contributions to Canada.
Suspect in court docket Nov. 2
Jongwon Ham has been charged with first-degree homicide and is predicted to make a court docket look on Nov. 2.
Court information present Ham was needed for separate assaults in Vancouver and a warrant for his arrest was issued Monday, the day earlier than the deadly altercation.
On Wednesday, Sgt. Timothy Pierotti of the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team stated Yang was not on the park to execute the warrant. Instead, she was serving to the town worker inform Ham — the occupant of a lone tent in the park — that he couldn’t keep there, he stated.
Ham was charged with assault March 17.
The Vancouver Police Department stated in an announcement that officers responded that day to a 911 name about “an agitated man allegedly making anti-Muslim feedback,” at a downtown meals court docket. The man had allegedly assaulted a safety guard.
Ham was arrested and officers found he additionally had a warrant for his arrest.
On Feb. 15, 2021, Vancouver police information additionally present officers responded to report of a person who allegedly made racial slurs earlier than kicking somebody in the face close to in Chinatown. Police situated the suspect combating with one other man close by, they stated, and the suspect resisted arrest.
Court information present Ham was charged with assault and resisting a peace officer.
The Society to End Homelessness in Burnaby issued an announcement describing Yang’s loss of life as “a tragic loss for the group.”
“Having skilled Constable Yang’s take care of the group and seeing her compassion for these she labored in and amongst, now we have solely the best reward for her,” the assertion stated.
This story was produced with the monetary help of the Meta-Canadian Press News Fellowship, which isn’t concerned in the editorial course of.