RIJN o@ca.on.york_county.toronto.toronto_star 2006-05-06 published
Officer shot dead, 2 teens in custody
By Peter EDWARDS in Windsor Nicolaas
VAN
RIJN in Toronto with
files from Scott
ROBERTS,
Camille
ROSS and Canadian Press, Page A1
A Windsor police officer who "couldn't wait to go to work" was
shot dead yesterday afternoon while coming to the aid of a harassed
family operating a Mac's Milk convenience store in a residential
section of the border city.
Two 18-year-old male suspects are in custody and a gun has been
seized, Windsor police Insp. Greg
RENAUD told a news conference last night.
Const. John
ATKINSON, 37, the father of two young children, is
believed to be the first officer in the more than 120-year history
of the Windsor force to be killed on duty, said Windsor police
Chief Glenn
STANNARD, who noted three other officers have died
in car accidents.
As word of the 14-year police veteran's death rippled across
the border city, the shock was palpable.
"Today the entire city mourns the loss of a dedicated individual,
a committed individual who put service above self," said Windsor
Mayor Eddie
FRANCIS.
Police said the incident, at 2: 05 p.m. in a parking lot near
Seminole St. and Pillette Rd., in a residential neighbourhood
about half a dozen blocks south of the Detroit River, began when
ATKINSON approached two men.
According to local residents,
ATKINSON, who lived in the neighbourhood,
was responding to a call for help from the Middle Eastern family
who operated the milk store. They'd complained of being harassed
by "white kids," neighbours said; when they told
ATKINSON about
it he suggested they call him if it happened again.
They did, and he responded quickly to confront the two men, neighbours
said, producing his badge and identification. That's when one
of the two men allegedly pulled a gun and shot him.
STANNARD said
ATKINSON "approached these individuals and during
this time a firearm was produced and Const.
ATKINSON was shot.
Const. ATKINSON was struck by a bullet, but was able to return
fire."
"The two suspects,"
STANNARD added, "were seen fleeing the area
on foot after the shooting, leaving the officer lying on the
sidewalk. And it is possible, when the suspects were fleeing,
some items were discarded, such as clothing."
Two 18-year-old Windsor men -- uninjured -- were arrested shortly
afterwards during a massive police search, and a firearm was
recovered, but police won't say if the weapon was related to
the shooting.
Investigators also wouldn't say how many times the officer, assigned
to the provincial anti-terrorism section, was hit. But local
residents said
ATKINSON was hit at least twice, once in the throat
and chest.
Dennis ROCHON was sitting on his balcony in a nearby apartment
building when he heard three loud shots. Rushing outside, he
found ATKINSON on the pavement.
"There was no movement,"
ROCHON said. "There was blood all over
the place. It looked like he got shot in the throat and the side
of the chest. You could tell he was dead."
Another man, identified only as Terry, said he saw
ATKINSON struggling,
stumbling three or four metres before collapsing.
"He tried to get up, and he fell again," Terry said.
Lloyd MENARD, in the store at the time, thought he was hearing
things when the gunfire broke out.
"At first, a couple of people thought they were just like poppers
on the ground, but no, it was actually gunfire," he said. "My
truck's got blood all over it, so those kids must have shot him
right there."
After the two suspects were taken into custody, Special Weapons
and Tactics teams scoured the neighbourhood for a possible third
participant in the shooting, but police later said there may
only have been the two suspects.
ATKINSON, a senior constable who started with the force as a
cadet, was known as a "good cop,"
STANNARD said.
The chief,
FRANCIS, a chaplain and several of
ATKINSON's on-the-force
Friends visited the slain officer's wife, Shelley, and his children
yesterday afternoon in an effort to console the family.
ATKINSON's
daughter Nicole turned 7 this week; his son Mitchell is 9.
During the family visit,
STANNARD said, tears flowed freely.
"You do what your heart leads you with,"
STANNARD told reporters
last night when asked about the visit.
"It's a tragic thing, and I think the best I can do is say you
share tears, and you share hugs."
STANNARD said he and the Windsor police honour guard will be
in Toronto, as planned, for the annual memorial ceremony of remembrance
at the Ontario Police Memorial tomorrow at 10: 45 a.m. The memorial,
at Grosvenor St. and Queen's Park Circle E., commemorates Ontario
police officers slain on duty.
"Our honour guard and I will be attending… obviously with heavy
hearts," the chief said.
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RIJS o@ca.on.middlesex_county.london.london_free_press 2006-09-30 published
HOEDEMAN,
Jane (née Adriana Johanna
VAN
RIJS)
Peacefully in London on Thursday, September 28, 2006, in her
78th year. Beloved mother of Roy of Ottawa, Max and his wife
Beverly of Nelson, British Columbia, Carol and her husband Gaetan
of Sidney, British Columbia and Jeff and his wife Mary of Toronto.
Loving grandmother of Jules, Tegan, Isabelle and Dhyan. She will
be dearly missed by her brothers and sisters and their families.
Special thanks to her family and the staff of Regional Mental
Health Care for their loving support. A memorial service will
be conducted at the James A. Harris Funeral Home, 220 Saint_James
Street at Richmond on Saturday, September 30, 2006 at 1: 00 p.m.
Memorial contributions to the Heart and Stroke Foundation would
be gratefully acknowledged.
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