MONCTON, N.B. — Two years after a gunman went hunting police officers in a Moncton, N.B., neighbourhood — leaving three officers dead, two wounded, and families and the public to grieve — a monument has been unveiled.
Dozens of people gathered under cloudy skies along the riverfront in Moncton today as the bronze monument featuring life-size statues of Constables Doug Larche, Dave Ross and Fabrice Gevaudan was revealed.
The families of the three fallen officers smiled and clapped as they removed black sheets from the statue.
Morgan MacDonald, the Newfoundland-based artist who created the monument, says he worked with the wives of the officers to create a lasting testament to who they were as men, fathers and law enforcement officers.
Speaking to the crowd, Nadine Larche said it was an emotional process collaborating with MacDonald on the monument.
She says it includes personal details about Doug Larche, including a gum wrapper since he loved to chew gum.
Isabelle LeBlanc with the City of Moncton says the events of June 4, 2014 were a dark time, but now the community has an opportunity to move forward.
RCMP Assistant Commissioner Roger Brown says he hopes that as people view the monument in years to come, they will look beyond the uniforms and see the three officers as men who loved their families and gave everything to their community.
