Ottawa police officer stabbed to death (2)

OTTAWA – A male suspect is in custody following the first slaying of an Ottawa police officer in the line of duty since 1983.

The officer was stabbed today in the emergency room at the Civic Campus of the Ottawa Hospital at about 4:30 a.m. ET. Paramedics on the scene immediately tried to save the officer, but were unable to.

There is no information yet on whether the officer was male or female, nor any details on the officer’s age and rank.

A visibly shaken police chief Vern White told a news briefing that relatives of the dead officer are still being notified.

The last time an Ottawa police officer was slain in the line of duty was in October 1983 when Const. David Utman, 38, was shot at a shopping centre during an altercation.

[Source]

Updates:

12:38 pm EST, December 29th, 2009 — Former RCMP officer being held

1:47 pm EST, December 29th, 2009 — Slain Ottawa officer identified; Ex-Mountie held in stabbing