Northern B.C. officers will join 2,000 in march at murdered Burnaby Constable’s funeral

Updated Story – Published on Tuesday, November 1st

More information has been released by the BC RCMP about tomorrow’s (Wednesday) funeral of Constable Shaelyn Yang.

Yang died last month after being stabbed in a park in Burnaby, as she was helping a city employee speak to a homeless man.

A 37-year-old suspect has been charged with first-degree murder.

Yang was a member of the local detachment’s mental health and homeless outreach team.

The RCMP is expecting representation from municipal police and RCMP from all across BC, Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta, and Washington State.

The Canadian Armed forces, Border Services, Ambulance Services, BC Sheriffs, and Firefighters from southern BC will join them.

An estimated 2,000 will march in the procession, and 1500 more will meet them at the funeral’s location at the Richmond Olympic Oval.

The funeral will be live-streamed by the RCMP starting at 9:30 a.m.

Original Story – Published on Thursday, October 27

“It feels a little bit like the loss of a close friend or family member.”

That’s what Prince George’s Corporal Jennifer Cooper said about the death of Shaelyn Yang, a Burnaby Constable who was murdered on duty earlier in the month.

Cooper said a “large contingent” of officers from Prince George will be traveling to Richmond for Yang’s funeral on November 2nd (Wednesday).

“Even during trying times as this” Cooper said, “core policing remains the priority for our detachment, so the police officers that are traveling down are traveling on their own time to make sure that we still have police officers in Prince George to maintain public safety.”

She referred to Yang as a sister, saying the loss of an officer anywhere in Canada feels like losing a friend or family member, based on the shared experience and bond that is formed in the RCMP.

37-year-old Jongwon Ham has been charged with first-degree murder for the October 18th stabbing that killed Constable Yang.