Regimental funeral planned for Burnaby RCMP officer killed in line of duty
Memorial for Const. Shaelyn Yang will be held Nov. 2 at the Richmond Olympic Oval
Funeral preparations have begun for a Burnaby RCMP officer who was killed on the job earlier this month.
Const. Shaelyn Yang, 31, who was a homeless and mental health outreach officer, was partnered with a municipal worker when she was fatally stabbed responding to a call about a man in a tent in a park in Burnaby, east of Vancouver, on Oct. 18.
Jongwon Ham, 37, has since been charged with first-degree murder. Ham was wanted on a previous assault charge at the time of his arrest.
In a statement issued Wednesday morning, police say planning is underway for a regimental funeral service for Yang that will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 2, at the Richmond Olympic Oval.
Regimental funerals include a variety of RCMP customs and traditions, including a procession with a riderless horse to honour the fallen Mountie, as well as honorary pallbearers.
In the immediate days after Yang's death, first responders held impromptu processions to honour their fallen colleague.
WATCH | First responders line streets to pay tribute to fallen Burnaby RCMP officer:
Thousands of police and other responders lined the streets on Oct. 19 as Yang's body was transported from Vancouver General Hospital to Burnaby Hospital. Hundreds came out the following day in Surrey in a continued show of support.
The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, Taiwan's de facto diplomatic office in Vancouver, says Yang was the daughter of immigrants from Taichung in central Taiwan.
Yang who also went by her given name, Tzu-Hsin, was a member of British Columbia's Taiwanese Canadian community,
Ruby Ba, the president of B.C.'s Taiwanese Canadian Association, said the community will do whatever it can to support Yang's family.
We will be there whenever and wherever we can to help out,'' said Ba.
According to the RCMP, Yang's family is expected to release a statement in the coming days.
"The need to provide the family time and space is important as they go through the grieving process and prepare for the funeral," reads a statement from the Mounties.
Anyone who wishes to send an electronic message to the family can email RCMP.Condolences-Condoleances.GRC@rcmp-grc.gc.ca, and police say those will be relayed to Yang's loved ones and the Burnaby detachment.
With files from The Canadian Press