Hands and hearts: Fredericton joins together to remember 4 shooting victims

Thousands of people joined hands to remember the four people who were killed in a shooting at an apartment complex on Fredericton's north side.

Two civilians, Donnie Robichaud and Bobbie Lee Wright, were killed along with Constables Robb Costello and Sara Burns, who were the first two police officers to respond to the call on Brookside Drive early Friday morning.

In response to the shootings that shocked the city and the rest of the country, residents gathered together and organized the Hands & Hearts Across the City event on Monday.

People were encouraged to join hands to complete a circle facing the St. John River from the Bill Thorpe Walking Bridge all the way around the Westmorland Street Bridge — about a six kilometre distance. 

Three minutes of silence were held for the four victims at 7:30 p.m. 

Remembering the past

While the event honoured the fallen victims, it also sparked painful memories for some. 

Beth Wallace has lived with the aftermath of being shot five years ago by an ex-boyfriend.

"I have a personal interest you could say for our first responders, police teams, for the community," she said. "I know the impact, I've seen it on everyone." 

Beth Wallace said it was important to come together as a community and show that violence is not permitted anywhere. 

"We need to have the conversation to stop violence. This is not a gun issue, this is a violence issue," she said. 

Her niece, Miranda Wallace, said her family was lucky to have so much support after she was shot.  

So they decided to pay their respects at Monday's event.

"We're here to support everyone involved because it just doesn't hit one person, it hits all of us." Miranda Wallace said. 

Making the world a better place

Paula Doucet, a resident who lives in the area, also felt she had to take part in the event. 

"It's just about paying respects to those that have lost their life in this senseless tragedy that the city of Fredericton experienced on Friday," she said. "I think it just brings the community together." 

She said when things happen like this, it makes her think about what society has become. 

"When first responders go out every day, every shift, they've paid the ultimate price," Doucet said. 

"It's given me time to reflect on where I want to go and what I want to do to make the world a better place." 

Others taking part felt the same way.

Melody Spencer and Joyce Spencer said it was a terrible thing that happened and wanted to hug everyone around them. Both residents hoped the event would bring people closer together across the city. 

"You cry a lot when you watch the news," Melody Spencer said. "You don't know any of them — the four — but you're still heartbroken over it."

Jessica Millier, was an organizer of the event, and felt it was an opportunity for residents to lean on one another. 

"Fredericton, in general, I think the whole city, is reeling from what happened," said Millier.

Millier's husband is an RCMP officer and can't imagine what the families of the two fallen police officers are going through.

"Every time something happens like this across the country, we feel it as a family," she said. "We worry as everyone who's married to someone in the forces would worry."