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    Lead officer on B.C. drug search hit by bullet fragments as colleague shot dead, court hears

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    Prosecution’s closing arguments in murder trial details how Const. Amber Carlson was hit by fragment of bullet that killed an officer

    People pay their respects to Const. Rick O'Brien, who was shot and killed in Coquitlam, at the Ridge Meadows RCMP detachment on Sept. 23, 2023. (Photo by Jason Payne/ PNG) (For story by reporter) [PNG Merlin Archive]
    People pay their respects to Const. Rick O’Brien, who was shot and killed in Coquitlam, at the Ridge Meadows RCMP detachment on Sept. 23, 2023. Photo by Jason Payne /PNG

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    The RCMP officer leading the drug raid at a Coquitlam highrise in 2023 was also hurt as a colleague in front of her was shot dead without warning, the prosecutor said Monday in the murder trial of Nicholas Bellemare.

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    Bellemare is on trial for shooting Const. Rick O’Brien in a 22nd-floor suite on Glen Drive in the heart of Coquitlam around 10 a.m. on Sept. 22, 2023, when he and five others officers entered to search a residence they suspected was a stash site for drugs.

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    Another officer, Sgt. Colin Ryder, was also injured in the shooting and Bellemare is also charged with attempting to murder him.

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    The trial started late last year and has run for a total of 44 days in B.C. Supreme Court before Justice Terence Schultes in New Westminster.

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    The defence is expected to deliver closing arguments on Thursday.

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    During questioning, the lead officer, Const. Amber Carlson, and other police witnesses denied defence suggestions that Bellemare was acting in self defence, that police failed to announced their arrival at the door and that officers shot at Bellemare first.

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    “She (Carlson) was adamant that Const. O’Brien never fired his firearm,” said prosecutor Theresa Iandiorio.

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    In her closing arguments on Monday, Iandiorio said Carlson was close enough to the fatal shooting of O’Brien to be injured by bullet fragments.

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    “She felt a spray of blood on her right ear and her neck,” Iandiorio said. “She wasn’t sure if it was his blood or if she had been hit. Certainly, it could have been both.

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    “After Const. O’Brien was shot, she fell backwards, she moved to her left, and she felt a wall … and shot four times in the direction of where she believed the shooter to be” and she yelled shots fired and officer down.

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    She didn’t see where her shots went, but she shot at a dark blur, Iandiorio told court.

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    One of her bullets struck Bellemare in the arm.

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    “She testified as to why she shot,” said Iandiorio. “She had seen her fellow officer shot and killed. We know from that wall, there were a number of bullet impacts,” including one that went into Bellemare’s arm, one that went out the window, and another that hit the wall.

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    “She returned fire because she thought she was under threat and she was right to do so,” Iandiorio said.

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    Carlson was hurt, including an injury she described as a divot on her forehead, fragments that hit her head and she suffered injuries around her eye and on her nose, she said.

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    1. Pallbearers carry RCMP Const. Rick O'Brien's casket into a regimental funeral in Langley, B.C., on Wednesday, October 4, 2023. O'Brien, 51, was killed last month while executing a search warrant at a home in Coquitlam.
      Pallbearers carry RCMP Const. Rick O’Brien’s casket into a regimental funeral in Langley, B.C., on Wednesday, October 4, 2023. O’Brien, 51, was killed last month while executing a search warrant at a home in Coquitlam.Photo by DARRYL DYCK Darryl Dyck /THE CANADIAN PRESS
    2. Const. Rick O'Brien is honoured at regimental funeral at the Langley Event Centre in Langley, BC., October 4, 2023.
      Const. Rick O’Brien is honoured at a regimental funeral at the Langley Event Centre in Langley, BC., October 4, 2023.Photo by Arlen Redekop /PNG
    3. Const. Rick O'Brien is honoured at a regimental funeral at the Langley Event Centre in Langley, BC., October 4, 2023.
      Const. Rick O’Brien is honoured at a regimental funeral at the Langley Event Centre in Langley, BC., October 4, 2023.Photo by Arlen Redekop /PNG
    4. Const. Rick O'Brien being honoured at regimental funeral at the Langley Event Centre in Langley, BC., October 4, 2023.
      Const. Rick O’Brien is honoured at a regimental funeral at the Langley Event Centre in Langley, BC., October 4, 2023.Photo by Arlen Redekop /PNG
    5. Const. Rick O'Brien is honoured at a regimental funeral at the Langley Event Centre in Langley, BC., October 4, 2023.
      Const. Rick O’Brien is honoured at a regimental funeral at the Langley Event Centre in Langley, BC., October 4, 2023.(Arlen Redekop / Postmedia staff photo) (Story by reporter) [PNG Merlin Archive]Photo by Arlen Redekop /PNG
    6. Const. Rick O'Brien is honoured at a regimental funeral at the Langley Event Centre in Langley, BC., October 4, 2023.
      Const. Rick O’Brien is honoured at a regimental funeral at the Langley Event Centre in Langley, BC., October 4, 2023.(Arlen Redekop / Postmedia staff photo) (Story by reporter) [PNG Merlin Archive]Photo by Arlen Redekop /PNG
    7. Const. Rick O'Brien is honoured at a regimental funeral at the Langley Event Centre in Langley, BC., October 4, 2023.
      Const. Rick O’Brien is honoured at a regimental funeral at the Langley Event Centre in Langley, BC., October 4, 2023.(Arlen Redekop / Postmedia staff photo) (Story by reporter) [PNG Merlin Archive]Photo by Arlen Redekop /PNG
    8. Approximately 5000 RCMP, police, military and emergency services personnel attend the funeral for slain RCMP member Const. Rick O'Brien, at the Langley Events Centre in Langley, BC Wednesday, October 4, 2023.
      Approximately 5000 RCMP, police, military and emergency services personnel attend the funeral for slain RCMP member Const. Rick O’Brien, at the Langley Events Centre in Langley, BC Wednesday, October 4, 2023.Photo by Jason Payne /PNG
    9. Approximately 5000 RCMP, police, military and emergency services personnel attend the funeral for slain RCMP member Const. Rick O'Brien, at the Langley Events Centre in Langley, BC Wednesday, October 4, 2023.
      Approximately 5000 RCMP, police, military and emergency services personnel attend the funeral for slain RCMP member Const. Rick O’Brien, at the Langley Events Centre in Langley, BC Wednesday, October 4, 2023.O’Brien was shot and killed while on serving a search warrant in Coquitlam, BC September 22. (Photo by Jason Payne/ PNG) (For story by reporters) [PNG Merlin Archive]Photo by Jason Payne /PNG
    10. Approximately 5000 RCMP, police, military and emergency services personnel attend the funeral for slain RCMP member Const. Rick O'Brien, at the Langley Events Centre in Langley, BC Wednesday, October 4, 2023.
      Approximately 5000 RCMP, police, military and emergency services personnel attend the funeral for slain RCMP member Const. Rick O’Brien, at the Langley Events Centre in Langley, BC Wednesday, October 4, 2023.O’Brien was shot and killed while on serving a search warrant in Coquitlam, BC September 22. (Photo by Jason Payne/ PNG) (For story by reporters) [PNG Merlin Archive]Photo by Jason Payne /PNG
    11. Approximately 5000 RCMP, police, military and emergency services personnel attend the funeral for slain RCMP member Const. Rick O'Brien, at the Langley Events Centre in Langley, BC Wednesday, October 4, 2023.
      Approximately 5000 RCMP, police, military and emergency services personnel attend the funeral for slain RCMP member Const. Rick O’Brien, at the Langley Events Centre in Langley, BC Wednesday, October 4, 2023.O’Brien was shot and killed while on serving a search warrant in Coquitlam, BC September 22. (Photo by Jason Payne/ PNG) (For story by reporters) [PNG Merlin Archive]Photo by Jason Payne /PNG
    12. Approximately 5000 RCMP, police, military and emergency services personnel attend the funeral for slain RCMP member Const. Rick O'Brien, at the Langley Events Centre in Langley, BC Wednesday, October 4, 2023.
      Approximately 5000 RCMP, police, military and emergency services personnel attend the funeral for slain RCMP member Const. Rick O’Brien, at the Langley Events Centre in Langley, BC Wednesday, October 4, 2023.O’Brien was shot and killed while on serving a search warrant in Coquitlam, BC September 22. (Photo by Jason Payne/ PNG) (For story by reporters) [PNG Merlin Archive]Photo by Jason Payne /PNG
    13. Approximately 5000 RCMP, police, military and emergency services personnel attend the funeral for slain RCMP member Const. Rick O'Brien, at the Langley Events Centre in Langley, BC Wednesday, October 4, 2023.
      Approximately 5000 RCMP, police, military and emergency services personnel attend the funeral for slain RCMP member Const. Rick O’Brien, at the Langley Events Centre in Langley, BC Wednesday, October 4, 2023.O’Brien was shot and killed while on serving a search warrant in Coquitlam, BC September 22. (Photo by Jason Payne/ PNG) (For story by reporters) [PNG Merlin Archive]Photo by Jason Payne /PNG
    14. Approximately 5000 RCMP, police, military and emergency services personnel attend the funeral for slain RCMP member Const. Rick O'Brien, at the Langley Events Centre in Langley, BC Wednesday, October 4, 2023.
      Approximately 5000 RCMP, police, military and emergency services personnel attend the funeral for slain RCMP member Const. Rick O’Brien, at the Langley Events Centre in Langley, BC Wednesday, October 4, 2023.O’Brien was shot and killed while on serving a search warrant in Coquitlam, BC September 22. (Photo by Jason Payne/ PNG) (For story by reporters) [PNG Merlin Archive]Photo by Jason Payne /PNG
    15. Approximately 5000 RCMP, police, military and emergency services personnel attend the funeral for slain RCMP member Const. Rick O'Brien, at the Langley Events Centre in Langley, BC Wednesday, October 4, 2023.
      Approximately 5000 RCMP, police, military and emergency services personnel attend the funeral for slain RCMP member Const. Rick O’Brien, at the Langley Events Centre in Langley, BC Wednesday, October 4, 2023.Photo by Arlen Redekop /PNG
    16. Funeral
      Approximately 5000 RCMP, police, military and emergency services personnel attend the funeral for slain RCMP member Const. Rick O’Brien, at the Langley Events Centre in Langley, BC Wednesday, October 4, 2023.Photo by Arlen Redekop /PNG
    17. RCMP officers march beside a hearse carrying RCMP Const. Rick O'Brien's casket to a regimental funeral in Langley, B.C., on Wednesday, October 4, 2023. O'Brien, 51, was killed last month while executing a search warrant at a home in Coquitlam.
      RCMP officers march beside a hearse carrying RCMP Const. Rick O’Brien’s casket to a regimental funeral in Langley, B.C., on Wednesday, October 4, 2023. O’Brien, 51, was killed last month while executing a search warrant at a home in Coquitlam.Photo by DARRYL DYCK Darryl Dyck /THE CANADIAN PRESS
    18. Pallbearers carry RCMP Const. Rick O'Brien's casket into a regimental funeral in Langley, B.C., on Wednesday, October 4, 2023. O'Brien, 51, was killed last month while executing a search warrant at a home in Coquitlam.
      Pallbearers carry RCMP Const. Rick O’Brien’s casket into a regimental funeral in Langley, B.C., on Wednesday, October 4, 2023. O’Brien, 51, was killed last month while executing a search warrant at a home in Coquitlam.Photo by DARRYL DYCK Darryl Dyck /THE CANADIAN PRESS
    19. An RCMP officer wipes tears during a regimental funeral for RCMP Const. Rick O'Brien in Langley, B.C., on Wednesday, October 4, 2023. O'Brien, 51, was killed last month while executing a search warrant at a home in Coquitlam.
      An RCMP officer wipes tears during a regimental funeral for RCMP Const. Rick O’Brien in Langley, B.C., on Wednesday, October 4, 2023. O’Brien, 51, was killed last month while executing a search warrant at a home in Coquitlam.Photo by DARRYL DYCK Darryl Dyck /THE CANADIAN PRESS
    20. RCMP Const. Rick O'Brien's stetson rests on his casket during a regimental funeral in Langley, B.C., on Wednesday, October 4, 2023. O'Brien, 51, was killed last month while executing a search warrant at a home in Coquitlam.
      RCMP Const. Rick O’Brien’s stetson rests on his casket during a regimental funeral in Langley, B.C., on Wednesday, October 4, 2023. O’Brien, 51, was killed last month while executing a search warrant at a home in Coquitlam.Photo by DARRYL DYCK Darryl Dyck /THE CANADIAN PRESS
    21. mountie
      Ridge Meadows RCMP Const. Rick O’Brien received a medal of valour along with several other officers shortly after joining the national force in 2016. (Also pictured are Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth and former lieutenant governor Judith Guichon.)Photo by Government of B.C

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    O’Brien, 6-foot-2 and 233 pounds, was armed with a carbine and was leading Carlson and the other officers into the suite after another officer, Jaryt Lyons, used a battering ram to force the door open.

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    1. RCMP Const. Rick O'Brien was shot and killed in Coquitlam on Sept. 23, 2023.

      RCMP officers tell murder trial of ‘carnage’ during Coquitlam raid where Mountie was gunned down: ‘The walls were riddled with bullet holes,’ testified Const. Danilo Amoranto at the trial of Nicholas Bellemare for the 2023 shooting death of Const. Rick O’Brien in a Coquitlam condo

    2. A Mountie was shot and killed and two others were injured in Coquitlam last week.

      Police face inherent danger in carrying out search warrants, experts say

    3. Advertisement 1

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    Carlson, who led what’s called a “knock and announce,” testified she knocked on the door and shouted that it was the police with a search warrant three times, with five- to 10-second pauses in between, before giving a signal to Lyons to break down the door, Iandiorio said

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    Iandiorio said that after knocking and announcing their presence for a search warrant, officers have to move quickly to breach because occupants may use any delay to set traps, ready weapons or destroy evidence.

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    The prosecutor also summed up testimony from expert witnesses, including details of the trajectory of the 17 shots that were fired in total.

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    Closing arguments continue Tuesday.

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    slazaruk@postmedia.com

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