‘Dark days’: Candlelight vigil held to honour two South Simcoe police officers killed

A heartbroken community gathered Wednesday night for a candlelight vigil to mourn the deaths of two police officers, killed while responding to a disturbance at a home in Innisfil, Ont.

Const. Devon Northrup was a six-year member of the service and worked with the community mobilization and engagement unit. He also served as a member of the mental health crisis outreach team and the emergency response unit.

Const. Morgan Russell was with the force for 33 years. He was a trained crisis negotiator and was assigned to uniform patrol.

Northrup, 33, and Russell, 54 were fatally shot by a young man inside a home on Tuesday evening. Northrup died at a local hospital while Russell was airlifted to a Toronto trauma centre, where he was later pronounced dead.

Lynn Dollin, the mayor of Innisfil, was one of the many dignitaries on hand at the Innisfil Community Church to remember the fallen officers and praise the difficult work that all first responders face on a daily basis.

“I’ve been doing this for a long time and I’ve gotten maybe a bit numb to what our first responders do everyday. And all of what they do to keep us safe, in the middle of the night, going into situations we’d all run away from.”

Local MP John Brassard told the gathering the impact to the community would be felt for a long time.

“These are going to be dark days. These are going to be hard days. Hard for the families. Hard for the South Simcoe Police family. Hard for our firefighters, our EMS, and everyone whose been impacted by this terrible tragedy.”

South Simcoe Police identified the two officers shot and killed in Innisfil, Ont. as Morgan Russell (left) and Devon Northrup (right). Photo: South Simcoe Police.

“This is personal for me. I went to police college with Morgan 33 years ago,” acting police chief John Van Dyke said earlier in the day. “This is a heartbreaking time for our police service.”

Van Dyke said he recognizes that the public has questions about the circumstances of the incident. Few details were released.

“We ask for your patience and privacy as we attempt to come to terms with the losses of these two beloved members of our family,” Van Dyke said.

Premier Doug Ford visited the South Simcoe police detachment in Innisfil, Ont., on Wednesday afternoon to show his support to the force members.

“It’s very sad. It’s senseless tragedy. My heart bleeds for his family, their families, I should say, the women and men that serve every single day,” Ford said.

Toronto Mayor John Tory tweeted out his condolences to the family and friends of the two fallen officers, calling the incident an “unspeakable tragedy.”

“Fresh from our own recent loss of a Toronto officer, we grieve with the family, the members of the broader police community and residents of Innisfil,” said Tory.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also tweeted his condolences, saying his thoughts are “with the loved ones of these officers and the entire Innisfil community.”

He said later Wednesday that the federal Liberal government was working to step up on gun control, noting a ban on assault weapons and a freeze on purchasing handguns among recent measures brought in.

The 23-year-old man who allegedly shot the officers was also pronounced dead at the scene.

Ontario’s police watchdog has taken over the investigation while the South Simcoe Police Service has requested the York Regional Police to conduct an investigation into the circumstances of this incident on their behalf.