For days they were told to stay home. Now, with a suspect behind bars, people in Moncton, N.B., are out in force to share their grief and shock about the slayings of three Mounties and the attempt on two others.
The Codiac Regional RCMP headquarters in Moncton continues to be a focal point.
People have been dropping off flowers, teddy bears and other items, including a hand-written note by a child thanking RCMP for stopping "the bad guy."
Hundreds turned out for a vigil Friday night.
CBC reporter Stephen Puddicombe said people are still in shock. "They say, 'This isn't Moncton. This is something we read about somewhere else in another country,'" he said.
One church is planning what it calls a "community debriefing" Saturday night.
St. Andrews Presbyterian Church will have counsellors on hand to help people throughout the community cope with the shocking events of the last few days.
"We're all having problem processing this," said church pastor Martin Kreplin. "We need each other."
The ordeal began Wednesday night when three RCMP officers were shot and killed:
- Const. Dave Ross, 32.
- Const. Fabrice Georges Gevaudan, 45.
- Const. Douglas James Larche, 40.
Two other officers, Const. Darlene Goguen and Const. Eric Dubois, were injured.
A large section of Moncton was locked down as police searched for the shooter. Horrified residents hunkered down and daily routines were abruptly put on hold.
Fear gripped the city. Hours turned into days as the manhunt continued.
Police arrested a suspect overnight Friday. Justin Bourque, 24, has been charged with three counts of first-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder.
Bourque remains in custody. He made a brief court appearance on Friday, during which his case was set over until July.