suspect charged with first-degree murder in stabbing death of burnaby rcmp const. shaelyn yang
const. shaelyn yang was fatally stabbed tuesday morning while helping a parks employee check on a man living in a tent at broadview park.
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as authorities announced first-degree murder charges on wednesday against the man accused of killing burnaby rcmp const. shaelyn yang, the case is raising questions about how b.c. communities are managing the homelessness crisis. yang was stabbed tuesday morning as she accompanied a city of burnaby parks worker who had been sent to a tent at broadview park off canada way to advise the occupant that they had to move on.
the independent investigations office, which investigates deaths or serious injuries involving police, said yang shot the man before she died. he was taken to hospital, but is expected to survive.
on wednesday, the b.c. prosecution service said first-degree murder charges have been laid against jongwon ham. court records show ham, 37, is also facing an assault charge related to an incident in vancouver on march 17. a warrant was issued for his arrest on monday.
burnaby rcmp handcuff a man after a police officer was stabbed on tuesday morning.
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homicide investigators said yang was not at the park to serve the warrant, and they were unaware if she knew about ham’s background. she died in hospital about 30 minutes after she was stabbed.
ham has had run-ins with police in the past. in february 2021, he was charged with assault and wilfully resisting or obstructing a peace officer.
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yang, who volunteered with victim services in richmond before becoming a mountie in 2019, was part of a special burnaby rcmp team that takes the lead on homelessness and mental health issues for the department.
made up of three officers, the team works with the fraser health assertive community treatment team and “has frequent contact with their clients who are considered high risk for violence,” said burnaby rcmp spokesman cpl. mike kalanj, who is a former member of the team.
a gofundme page has been established by a family friend, lydia lousky, to raise funds to help support yang’s wife simone.
formal rcmp portrait of const. shaelyn (tzu-hsin) yang, who was killed in the line of duty in burnaby on oct.18, 2022.
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on wednesday morning, police tape still surrounded the small orange tent, which had been pitched in the grass at the side of a sports field and was surrounded by a few pieces of trash and fallen leaves. a short distance away was a second tent, this one blue and emblazoned with the homicide team logo.
burnaby mayor mike hurley, a retired firefighter, said it is common for park staff to join police officers to check on people. the city works to prevent homeless camps from forming by trying to find housing for people, or to “move them along,” he said.
hurley said camps are known to be unsafe, but people often have nowhere to go.
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“we try to move tents along as quickly as we can, but this is a real issue for every city in the lower mainland, if not canada,” he said. “unfortunately, many people are living in our public spaces — many more than we, or senior levels of government, are willing to admit.”
hurley, who was acclaimed in the recent municipal election as no one ran against him, said the city doesn’t have control over health policy or the judiciary.
yang was well-known to city staff, who remain in shock and “devastated” by her death, he said. “it’s truly a horrible time for all of us.”
burnaby rcmp on scene at an incident on canada way on oct. 18, 2022.
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after an rcmp report, the city will likely review its own policies to determine if there is a better or safer manner for city employees to conduct checks and respond to calls. the city will also take its lead from yang’s family and the rcmp in terms of how to honour and remember the fallen officer.
in a statement on twitter, the society to end homelessness in burnaby expressed its condolences to burnaby rcmp.
“this has never occurred before within our homeless population, as most of our most vulnerable neighbours are peaceful and non-violent,” it said.
in ottawa, the house of commons held a moment of silence to honour yang, and prime minister justin trudeau paid tribute. he told the house that mental health supports need to be stepped up so police are not the sole providers for outreach in many situations.
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b.c. premier john horgan called yang’s death a “horrific tragedy.”
“an incident like this is a stark reminder of the dangers faced by those working to keep our communities safe,” he said on twitter.
surrey south mla elenore sturko, a former rcmp officer, said that at just 31, yang had so much more to give. she “paid the ultimate sacrifice,” she said.
— with files from david carrigg, katie derosa, and canadian press
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