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Cst. Sara Mae Burns

August 10, 2018

Gun Shot

Fredericton Police Force


On August 10, 2018 43 year old Constable Sara Mae Burns and Constable Lawrence Bob Costello were shot and killed responding to a shots fired call.

At approximately 7:00 am, the Fredericton Police Force received calls of shots being fired in the 200 block of Brookside Drive. Constables Burns and Castello responded and arrived on scene to observe two people lying on the ground. A lone gunman, shooting from a position of advantage from the third floor of the apartment complex shot and killed both officers. The area was locked down by police during which time the suspect was engaged in a shootout with the police. At approximately 9:45 am, the suspect was taken in custody and transported to the hospital.

Constable Burns was born in Scotland and travelled to a Papua New Guinea before settling in Canada. She attended school in Fredericton and started a family before, at the age of 40, she filled her life long dream of joining the police. She joined the Fredericton Police Force and graduated from the Atlantic Police academy in 2016.

Sara is survived by her husband and three children. Our condolences go out to the family, friends and colleagues.