Shooting suspect identified

The suspect in the shooting of two St. Albert RCMP officers has been identified as 34-year-old Shawn Maxwell Rehn of the greater Edmonton area. Rehn was known to police.

A search in the archives of the Edmonton Journal shows that Rehn, then 22, and a 16-year-old were charged in connection with theft of $150,000 worth of hockey memorabilia in 2003.

Canadian Firearms Digest, a website archiving newspaper articles related to firearms laws and regulations in Canada, also published information from two articles mentioning Rehn.

One, published by the Edmonton Sun in 2003, said Shawn Maxwell Rehn, 22, of no fixed address, and another man were charged “with numerous weapons-related offences, break and enter, and possession of stolen property.”

Another article was published in 2005 by the Edmonton Journal. The article said that Rehn, then 24, allegedly forced his way into a residence and then forced the lone occupant to drive him to a bank in Edmonton, demanding his bank card and PIN.

The Gazette was not able to find the original articles at this time.

On his facebook page, Rehn stated that he was a former pipefitter and studied at NAIT.

On Saturday, Rehn shot Aux. Const. Derek Walter Bond and Const. David Matthew Wynn at around 3 a.m. inside the Apex Casino in St. Albert. Both officers were wounded seriously.

Bond was released from hospital later in the day, while Wynn remains in “very grave” condition.

Following the shooting, police tracked Rehn to an area around the Sturgeon Valley golf course. They cordoned off roads around the golf course and surrounding neighbourhoods during their search.

Rehn was found dead inside a nearby home in Sturgeon County. The house was unoccupied at the time.

An autopsy to determine the cause of his death will take place Monday.

Further information about the deceased suspect will be released after the RCMP receives the autopsy report. The family of the deceased has been notified.

Stay tuned to www.stalbertgazette.com for updates.