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Gun used in Fredericton killings is legal, man had licence

Police Chief Leanne Fitch said the long gun is commonly available for purchase, and is not a prohibited or restricted weapon
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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, accompanied by his four-year-old son Hadrien and Fredericton MP Matt DeCourcey, left, heads past the tribute after placing flowers outside the police station in Fredericton on Sunday, Aug. 12, 2018. Two city police officers were among four people who died in a shooting in a residential area on the city’s north side. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan

Police say a Fredericton man charged with killing four people Friday had a firearms licence, and the long gun allegedly used in the deadly shooting can be legally obtained in Canada.

Police Chief Leanne Fitch said Monday the long gun is commonly available for purchase, and is not a prohibited or restricted weapon.

At a news conference outside the Fredericton Police Department, she also said one of the officers that responded to the shooting at a north-side apartment complex was wearing a body-worn video camera.

She said the footage is part of the evidence being examined by a team of investigators.

Fitch added police officers in Fredericton are equipped with body armour and carbine rifles.

READ MORE: What people saw and heard during Fredericton shooting

Friday’s shooting claimed the lives of Bobbie Lee Wright, Donnie Robichaud, and responding officers Const. Robb Costello and Const. Sara Burns.

Outside police headquarters, people stopped to sign a giant Canadian flag hanging outside the station or add to the growing memorial of flowers, cards, and messages that has been building since Friday.

Nancy Slade, back home for a visit from Petawawa, Ont., came to lay sunflowers with her six-year-old daughter, Molly, and three-year-old son, Dane.

Slade, the daughter of a Fredericton police officer who was friends with Costello, said she wants her kids to understand the sacrifice made by officers.

“It’s just not supposed to happen here,” she said, her voice catching. “It’s never happened here, so it’s just really hard.”

READ MORE: Matthew Vincent Raymond, 48, charged in shooting

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his son, Hadrien, went Sunday to police headquarters to lay flowers at the memorial and offer words of solidarity.

At Fredericton city hall Monday, a steady trickle of visitors arrived to sign books of condolences for the fallen police constables.

Many left in tears after seeing the simple display, which featured photos of the officers set next to two candles and a bouquet of white flowers.

Jane Abernathy, who lives in Fredericton, said she felt compelled to show her respect.

“Such a senseless tragedy, we never want this to happen again,” she said. “It was the least I could do, to sign my name.”

READ MORE: Growing memorial shows outpouring of support for Fredericton police

A public event planned for Monday evening, Hands and Hearts Across the City, asked residents to meet and join hands on the walking bridge spanning the St. John River as a tribute to the victims.

Matthew Vincent Raymond has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder. The 48-year-old is set to appear in court on Aug. 27.

A Fredericton business owner who knew Raymond described him as a “lonely person” who spent much of his time cycling and playing first-person shooter video games.

The Canadian Press

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