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  3. March
  4. 3
  5. Mayerthorpe tragedy

Events on March 3 in history

2005Mar, 3

James Roszko murders four Royal Canadian Mounted Police constables during a drug bust at his property in Rochfort Bridge, Alberta, then commits suicide. This is the deadliest peace-time incident for the RCMP since 1885 and the North-West Rebellion.

The Mayerthorpe tragedy occurred on March 3, 2005, on the farm of James Roszko, approximately 11 km (6.8 mi) north of Rochfort Bridge near the town of Mayerthorpe in the Canadian province of Alberta.

Roszko shot and killed four Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) constables: Anthony Gordon, Lionide "Leo" Johnston, Brock Myrol and Peter Schiemann. He then committed suicide. The attack occurred as the officers were executing a search warrant for stolen property and a marijuana-growing operation on the farm. Two individuals who were not present at the shooting, Shawn Hennessey and Dennis Cheeseman, pled guilty to manslaughter for assisting Roszko to return to his farm.

The incident was the worst one-day loss of life for the RCMP since five officers drowned on June 7, 1958, and the worst multiple-officer killing in contemporary Canadian history.

References

  • Mayerthorpe tragedy
  • Royal Canadian Mounted Police
  • Rochfort Bridge, Alberta
  • North-West Rebellion

Choose Another Date

Events on 2005

  • 24Apr

    Pope Benedict XVI

    Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger is inaugurated as the 265th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church taking the name Pope Benedict XVI.
  • 25Apr

    European Union

    Bulgaria and Romania sign accession treaties to join the European Union.
  • 17Aug

    Israeli disengagement from Gaza

    The first forced evacuation of settlers, as part of Israeli disengagement from Gaza, starts.
  • 24Oct

    Effects of Hurricane Wilma in Florida

    Hurricane Wilma makes landfall in Florida resulting in 35 direct 26 indirect fatalities and causing $20.6B USD in damage.
  • 30Oct

    Bombing of Dresden in World War II

    The rebuilt Dresden Frauenkirche (destroyed in the firebombing of Dresden during World War II) is reconsecrated after a thirteen-year rebuilding project.

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