Burnaby RCMP marked the one-year anniversary of the line-of-duty death of Const. Shaelyn Yang Wednesday.
Yang was fatally stabbed during a call at Broadview Park near the Burnaby-Vancouver border on Oct. 18, 2022.
The 31-year-old Mountie had accompanied a City of Burnaby parks employee to the park that day to tell a man who had been staying in a tent in the park to leave.
An altercation ensued, and Yang was fatally stabbed while her alleged assailant was shot but survived his injuries.
Mounties gathered at Burnaby RCMP headquarters Wednesday to pay tribute to the fallen officer.
In a private ceremony, her name was unveiled on the cenotaph in front of the detachment and on a Wall of Honour inside the building.
“It is our hope that everyone who sees her name will be reminded of Const. Yang, and be inspired by her life, her bravery, and her service,” Burnaby RCMP Chief Supt. Graham de la Gorgendiere said in a statement.
For 56 years, the only name on the Burnaby RCMP cairn was that of Const. Terry Tomfohr, a 19-year-old rookie officer who fell to his death from a cliff on Burnaby Mountain during a foot pursuit in the dark on June 3, 1967.
Yang’s name was added to the Honour Roll and Memorial Wall at RCMP Depot Division in Regina, to the B.C. Law Enforcement Memorial in Victoria, and to the Canadian Police and Peace Officers’ Memorial in Ottawa in September.
“Const. Yang’s death continues to affect all who knew and loved her,” de la Gorgendiere said. “While this anniversary is painful beyond measure, it also allows us to pause and reflect on Const. Yang’s legacy; ensuring her life, sacrifice, and what she stood for as a person and as a police officer is never forgotten.”
Yang was a member of Burnaby RCMP’s police mental health and homeless outreach team, which works with vulnerable people, including those experiencing homelessness, drug addiction and mental illness.
“She was genuine. She was kind. She was a truly outstanding police officer who made a positive impact on our community,” de la Gorgendiere said.
A Const. Shaelyn Yang Legacy Committee was established earlier this year to honour her memory.
It organized a fundraiser barbecue this summer to support Pacific Assistance Dogs (PADS) – a cause Yang supported.
“While this loss affects us every day, we continue to rely on each other for strength, honouring Const. Yang through our service to the community and through the care and compassion we show to one another and to those we serve,” de la Gorgendiere said.
'Her legacy will live on'
The anniversary of Yang’s death was marked in council chambers on Monday.
Mayor Mike Hurley said “Const. Yang will not be forgotten in Burnaby.”
“Her legacy will live on in actions we take to ensure our community is safe for everyone,” Hurley said. “Our thoughts continue to be with her family, friends and fellow RCMP members.”
One day after Yang’s fatal stabbing, Jongwon Ham, 37, was charged with first-degree murder in her death.
Ham has been in custody since Oct. 18, 2022.
His next court appearance is scheduled for Oct. 27 for a pre-trial conference.
Follow Cornelia Naylor on Twitter @CorNaylor
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