Two Canadian police officers shot dead after responding to family dispute

The officers, aged 30 and 35, responded to the scene in the Inglewood neighbourhood of Edmonton at around 1am on Thursday

Two police officers in Canada were killed while on duty after they responded to a domestic dispute.

Edmonton police officers Travis Jordan, 35, and Brett Ryan, 30, responded to a “family dispute” in the Inglewood neighbourhood at around 1am MDT, police chief Dale McFee said during a press conference on Thursday.

“[They] went inside the building, approached the suite, and were shot by a young male suspect,” Mr McFee said.

Fellow officers transported Jordan and Brett Ryan to the hospital but they were pronounced deceased shortly after. A female was also taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries and has since been stabilised, Agence France-Presse reported.

The shooter died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to law enforcement.

Police investigate the scene where two officers were shot and killed on duty in Edmonton on Thursday, March 16, 2023

“At this time, all indications are they did not have a chance to discharge their firearms,” he added. “These [officers] were doing their job. This is unthinkable. It’s not imaginable. It’s horrific. It’s a tragedy.”

Responding to the tragic news, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted: “Every day, police officers put themselves in harm’s way to keep people safe.”

“The news that two @EdmontonPolice officers have been killed in the line of duty reminds us of that reality. I’m sending my condolences to the officers’ loved ones and colleagues – we’re here for you.”

Canada Edmonton Officers-Shot

Jordan was an eight-year veteran with the department, while Ryan had been with the law enforcement agency for five and a half years, The Seattle Times reported.

According to Reuters, police officer deaths in Canada are relatively uncommon, with a total of five in 2022. The Edmonton Police Service previously experienced an officer death in 2015, when Constable Daniel Woodall was shot through a door as he attempted to enter a residence.