Family remembers RCMP Const. Shelby Patton as ‘one of the ideal’

Saskatchewan RCMP Const. Shelby Patton’s family said they’re devastated by the dying of a younger man who cherished his job and his community. 

Patton, who labored out of the Indian Head detachment, was killed on Saturday morning in Wolseley, Sask., after officials said he was struck by a stolen truck from Manitoba. Police said two suspects, a man and a girl, fled the scene and were later arrested.

His grandmother Linda Patton, who spoke to CBC from Choiceland, Sask., on Sunday, said her entire family is devastated by the loss of the 26-year-worn. She said he “was one of the ideal.” 

“It be laborious too, as a consequence of he was the sort of thoughtful person.”

Linda Patton explained she hadn’t seen her grandson for several months on account of the COVID-19 pandemic, but said she’s been getting updates on his work and profession from his fogeys. 

She said the family is totally damaged as a consequence of the loss, as Patton was a one that ceaselessly build others first. “He was goal appropriate that form of person, I goal appropriate can’t exclaim nice ample things about him,” she said of Patton, who was from Yorkton, Sask.

Linda Patton said her grandson cherished his job with a passion, recalling how he was goal appropriate beaming when he grew to turn into a member of the RCMP following his commencement. She explained her grandson would produce the relaxation for his community and these round him, with that desire to assist making him a factual fit for the RCMP.

“He would not wound somebody, that’s the form of person he was and he’d produce the relaxation for you,” she said.

“To me, he is the ideal. The ideal form of person you would possibly perhaps presumably also ever take care of.” 

He goal appropriate cherished it and he cherished the place he was working.-Linda Patton, grandmother of RCMP Const. Shelby Patton

Linda Patton said whereas it was ceaselessly in the abet of her mind that something can also happen to her grandson whereas on obligation, she said the family “by no intention, ever concept that it would.”

She said RCMP are flying Patton’s fogeys into Regina from Stettler, Alta., as they take care of the loss.

RCMP briefed the media Saturday evening about the incident, calling it “an extremely tragic time” for the RCMP and Patton’s family. 

“Const. Patton’s family is moreover phase of the RCMP family,” said Rhonda Blackmore, Saskatchewan RCMP’s commanding officer and assistant commissioner. “They personal lost a husband, son and brother.” 

Knowledge from the RCMP indicated Patton had served at the Indian Head detachment of the RCMP for the entirety of his service — extra than six years — earlier than his dying.

“A tragedy such as this shakes our entire RCMP family to its core, coast to coast,” said Blackmore. “Even though we build on a police uniform, we are traditional other folks, going to our job each day, goal appropriate as everybody else does.

“This present day, Const. Patton isn’t going to come dwelling from doing his job holding the public.”

2 suspects in custody, RCMP promises extra updates

Two other folks, a man and a girl, are in police custody after they were arrested roughly two hours after Patton was killed. RCMP said extra updates would possibly be supplied in the coming days.

Officials with the nationwide police power moreover took time to thank a civilian who tried to offer scientific assistance to the officer unless emergency responders arrived. Patton’s grandmother said the family moreover extends their gratitude to the one that attempted to save his lifestyles.

“I would possibly possibly not thank them ample,” she said.

The case is now being handled by the RCMP Predominant Crimes Unit North with the assistance of rather plenty of RCMP detachments from across the province.

The mayor of Wolseley, the place the incident took direct, said the entire community has been suffering from the loss. Gerald Hill said the city is in a direct of “drawl shock and disbelief” as a heavy police presence descended on the city following the dying. 

“This form of element would not happen right here,” Hill said.

RCMP notorious that farmers in the place were in a situation to assist officers as they labored to apprehend the two suspects in the place of Francis, Sask.

Blaine Muhr was one of them.

He said he explained the lay of the land to police, as he said he had a “intestine feeling” as to the place the two is also headed on account of his knowledge of the trails and paths. 

“There’s plenty of shock,” he said of these in the community. 

“It be ceaselessly laborious to assume that there’s other folks like that appropriate to your step.”

Muhr harassed out that whereas he helped the police in their search, it was the officers who were in a situation to come across the suspects and elevate them into custody, noting whereas the entire scenario is “heartbreaking” he is pleased he can also assist enforcement out.

“The RCMP did an very goal appropriate job,” he said. 

For Muhr, he said his thoughts are with Patton’s family.

“I’m heartbroken for them,” he said. “It be unpleasant. You can’t build it into phrases.” 

RCMP are in fact flying flags at half of-mast and said they will release extra knowledge about how members of the public and can fraction condolences with Patton’s family, chums and colleagues.