Fredericton Residents To Honour Shooting Victims

Thousands are expected to gather in Fredericton to honour the four victims of last year’s shooting in the city.

Hands & Hearts Across the City, an event held just days after the Aug. 10 shooting, will take place again Saturday.

Organizer Jessica Millier said the first event was a “spur of the moment” way to help the community heal.

“I had just posted to my friends on Facebook that I wanted to get together on the bridge and just sort of have a moment of silence,” said Millier. “Then someone else saw that and thought this is something that everybody should be invited to.”

Millier said the original idea was to link hands across the city’s walking bridge, but the crowds grew to nearly 3,000 people and the chain extended along both sides of the Saint John River.

This year, Millier said they hope to get enough people to reach the Westmorland Street Bridge and create a circle.

“When you come together with others, it’s comforting and can be healing,” she said.

Participants are encouraged to arrive by 6:30 p.m. Saturday to find a space where they would like to be. People will link hands at 7 p.m.

“There’s a little dock in the middle of the green on the north side and there’s going to be someone down there launching flares — four flares in honour of the victims,” Millier said. “After the fourth flare is raised, we will hold hands and have a moment of silence.”

Organizers have also asked everyone to wear a white shirt. If you do not have one, special Hands & Hearts t-shirts will be on sale for $20.

The proceeds from the t-shirt sales will go towards the memorial funds for the families of the victims.

Fredericton police constables Sara Burns and Robb Costello and civilians Donnie Robichaud and Bobbie Lee Wright were killed in the shooting. The man charged with first-degree murder in their deaths is expected to stand trial starting in late September.