After being on the run for more than 24 hours, Justin Bourque--the gunman who fatally shot three police officers and wounded two others--has finally been captured early Friday.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) said that Bourque, 24, was arrested at 12:10am on Friday (11:10 p.m. ET Thursday). He was arrested on the front lawn of a woman identified as 21-year-old Michelle Thibodeau.
"The SWAT team arrived at my house and unloaded, and started screaming in my backyard for him to surrender and he did," Thibodeau said on Twitter.
"They had him sprawled on my front lawn for some time and then loaded him into the SWAT vehicle. They are now checking my yard for firearms," she added.
The shooting happened on Wednesday in Moncton, New Brunswick. Bourque was armed with at least two rifles and dressed in military camouflage uniform.
Based on the image of Bourque released by police, firearms instructor Rod Giltaca identified the guns as a semi-automatic centre-fire rifle and a pump shotgun, both of which are commonly used by hunters and can be acquired legally.
According to neighbors, Bourque collected guns and is an avid hunter of animals such as birds, deer, and moose.
Kerry Fitzpatrick, who lives near Bourque's home, said that the suspect "never missed a season." After hearing gunfire and learning that Bourque was the suspected shooter, he went over to Bourque's trailer and found that the door was open.
"He lost it. The guy lost it,'' Fitzpatrick told reporters.
The three victims were all members of the RCMP. Their identities have not yet been released by police.
This was reportedly the deadliest attack on the Mounties in nearly a decade. "This is perhaps the darkest day in the history of RCMP New Brunswick," said New Bruswick RCMP commander Roger Brown.
"As you can imagine, this is working through your worst nightmare," Brown added.
Bourque's motives are still unknown. Investigations are ongoing.
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