CN Tower to blaze red, blue and gold in honour of RCMP officers killed in Moncton

When the sun sets in Toronto tonight, the tallest tower in the country will become a 457-metre memorial for three RCMP officers shot and killed in Moncton, New Brunswick.

The lights of the CN Tower will blaze a multi-coloured tribute to Constables David Ross, Fabrice Georges Gevaudan and Douglas James Larche, as well as two other officers wounded on Wednesday when a heavily-armed gunman opened fire on police in the eastern Canadian community.

In a note, CN Tower officials advised that, "The CN Tower is lit tonight in red, blue and gold, the colours of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police guidon in honour of fallen RCMP Constables David Ross, Fabrice Georges Gevaudan, Douglas James Larche, and wounded Constables Éric Stéphane Dubois and Marie Darlene Goguen as a tribute to the courage and dedication to public service of these and all RCMP officers."

The CN Tower’s LED lighting system is often light for special occasions, holidays and tributes. Most often, those light shows are scheduled well in advance. A special eight-minute light show will run at the top of every hour between sundown and sunset.

The CN Tower light display will be the tallest tribute to those fallen officers, but not the only one we'll see in Canada.

Scores of Canadian flags will be flown at half-staff and countless candles will be lit and burn in their honour.

In Moncton, hundreds are expected to gather outside the Codiac RCMP detachment Friday night for a candlelight vigil to remember the fallen officers.

The town of Victoriaville, Quebec, where Ross was born and raised, will hold its own tributes. Flags were lowered to half-staff.

Town mayor Alain Reyes asked on Friday for Quebec residents to leave their porch lights on in his honour. In Quebec City, the National Assembly held a moment of silence.

Books of condolence are collected tributes and messages at the New Bruswick legislature in Fredericton, Moncton City Hall and Toronto’s downtown police detachment, as well as through the email address Condolences_Condoleances@rcmp-grc.gc.ca.

In Saskatchewan, the death of any RCMP officer hits close to home.

Regina is home to the RCMP's Depot Division, a training academy familiar to any man or woman wearing a serge today.

Cadets at Depot Division held a moment of silence on Friday; many wore memorial ribbons.

Premier Brad Wall announced that every provincial building would lower their flags until sunset on the days that funerals or memorials are held for Ross, Gevaudan and Larche. Those services have not yet been scheduled.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper was in France to commemorate the 70th anniversary of D-Day on Friday. But in a Thursday speech, he expressed condolences to the families, colleagues and friends of those killed.

“This violent incident is a stark reminder that our men and women in law enforcement put their lives on the line in Canada every day to protect our citizens and communities," Harper said.

“The sacrifice of these brave officers will be honoured and remembered.

“Our thoughts are with their families and loved ones in their time of need. This is a sad time for the people of Moncton, the people of New Brunswick and for Canada.”

NDP Leader Tom Mulcair said he was "profoundly saddened" by the shooting and sent his thoughts to the families of those killed.

Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau also expressed his condolences, and thanked "all the law enforcement officials who dedicate their lives to keeping our citizens and our communities safe from harm."

But perhaps the most poignant message came from the mayor of Moncton himself, George LeBlanc. "Moncton: Sound your horn, shake a hand, give thumbs up, share a smile," LeBlanc wrote on Twitter.

"Find a way to thank every police officer you see."

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