First and foremost, our most heartfelt condolences go out to the families and friends of the deceased. This is a terrible tragedy for all involved; victims, witnesses, families, friends, and first responders, and the community as a whole.
On Sunday, shortly before 1:00 a.m., police officers attempted to make a traffic stop for a vehicle that was approaching a patrol car at a high rate of speed.
Our officer activated the emergency lights, but the vehicle failed to stop. The officer lost sight of the vehicle in question and disengaged the emergency equipment.
Shortly thereafter, police were dispatched to the accident, that tragically claimed the lives of three individuals and sent two others to hospital.
Casualties:
- One male, age 22
- One male, age 17
- One female, age 14
Injured:
- One male, age 15, critical, was airlifted to the IWK
- One female, age 14, was treated for injuries.
The condition of the critically injured teen who was air lifted to the IWK is unknown at this time.
Out of respect for the families, we will not be releasing the names of those involved at this time.
Our victim witness services team are working with the families of the victims. Fredericton Police Force have activated CISM (Critical incident Support Management) for the officers involved.
Prior to the accident, a marked patrol car met an oncoming vehicle travelling at a high rate of speed and activated its emergency protocol.
This is standard operating procedure, to not have done so would have been negligent on the part of police.
By the time the marked car was able to effectuate a traffic stop, the vehicle was no longer in sight. Minutes later, FPF members were dispatched to the scene of an accident, where it was established to be the same car.
The vehicle is believed to have hit a curb, became airborne, collided with a tree and then hit a parked vehicle.
The second, parked, vehicle was occupied by four adult males, who had just entered their vehicle and were about to depart a residence. None of them sustained any serious physical injuries.
Preliminary findings indicate speed was a significant factor in the accident.
The file remains under investigation by the FPF’s criminal investigation team.
NB/NS Serious Incident Response Team (SiRT) were initially engaged to review the file, as per protocol when incidents occur where there are serious injuries or fatalities, where police were involved.
Based on the evidence, SiRT has advised they will not be taking carriage of this file.
As our community mourns from this tragic loss, please be kind and supportive as those affected navigate the days ahead. We encourage people to reach out for help, whether it be through peer support groups, professionals, or trusted support networks.
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Media contact:
Sonya Gilks
Public Information Officer
Fredericton Police Force
506-460-2777
Fpf.media@fredericton.ca