Abbotsford Police Constable Allan Young is shown in an undated handout photo./The Canadian Press
An Abbotsford police officer, who intervened in a disturbance while off duty on the streets of Nelson, B.C., has suffered injuries that his department says he is not expected to recover from.
It will be the second fatal incident in recent years affecting a member of the police department belonging to the Fraser Valley city, after another officer was shot dead in 2017.
On Monday, Abbotsford police said that Constable Allan Young was on life support in the B.C. Interior. “[He] is not expected to survive his injuries,” said a statement issued by department spokesperson Judy Bird, a sergeant with the police department.
Last Thursday, 55-year-old Constable Young approached an individual causing a disturbance in downtown Nelson, a picturesque community of about 10,600 people located about 650 kilometres east of Vancouver.
Nelson’s police department isn’t providing many details about what transpired but described it in a statement as a physical altercation. As a result of the incident, a 26-year-old man was arrested, and Constable Young was taken to hospital. The force did not respond Monday to questions seeking further information about the case.
Mike Serr, chief constable for the Abbotsford police department, remembered Constable Young as a respectful, affable officer.
“He always had time for a laugh and a joke. Everyone that met Allan would walk away happier,” the chief constable said in a statement.
“Allan had a zest for life that was unparalleled with a dedication and passion for policing and the Abbotsford Police Department. He will be missed.”
Constable Young joined the Abbotsford police service in 2004 after previously working with the Toronto police.
According to Sgt. Bird, Constable Young worked in patrol and drug investigations. He is married and has a daughter.
It’s the latest tragedy for the Abbotsford police. In 2017, Constable John Davidson was gunned down while responding to reports of a stolen vehicle.
Oscar Arfmann was eventually convicted of first-degree murder in the death of the father of three, a veteran member of the Abbotsford force.
He was sentenced to life in prison and must serve 25 years, minus two years of time served, before being eligible for parole.
Mr. Arfmann’s trial heard that he used a loaded rifle from his stolen car to fire at a truck in a business complex, then shot Constable Davidson in the back and once in the head when the officer arrived on the scene, responding to the shots-fired call.
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