Lake Strongquill named in honour of gunned-down Manitoba Mountie
CBC News | Posted: January 18, 2016 3:40 PM | Last Updated: January 18, 2016
Manitoba has named a lake near Flin Flon after RCMP Const. Dennis Strongquill — the first time a geographic location in the province has been named after a law enforcement officer.
"All Manitobans remember the tragic loss of Const. Strongquill, and it is truly our honour to permanently create a place that will recognize his life and ultimate sacrifice," Conservation and Water Stewardship Minister Tom Nevakshonoff said Monday during the announcement at the RCMP headquarters in Winnipeg.
The lake is about 45 kilometres north of Flin Flon in northern Manitoba.
"Const. Strongquill dedicated his life to protecting the people of Manitoba and making our communities safer. The naming of Lake Strongquill is a humbling honour and will ensure that his sacrifice is never forgotten," said RCMP Assistant Commissioner Kevin Brosseau.
Killed in line of duty
A 20-year veteran of the police force, Strongquill was shot dead after a traffic stop outside Russell, Man.
Strongquill, 52, and his partner, Const. Brian Auger, were heading for a coffee just after midnight on Dec. 21, 2001, when they spotted a truck driving on the highway with its high beams on.
They pulled it over simply to caution the driver to turn down the headlights. But as they approached the truck, one of the people inside opened fire. The officers ran back to their vehicle and were chased into the town of Russell by the truck.
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As the RCMP cruiser pulled up to the detachment office, it was rammed by the truck. Auger escaped into the detachment but Strongquill was trapped.
Unable to shoot due to a malfunction with his gun, Strongquill was shot four times with a sawed-off shotgun.
The truck, with three people from Alberta inside, then sped off. A 14-hour manhunt for the suspects ended in gunfire at a motel near Wolseley, Sask., about 100 kilometres east of Regina.
The RCMP emergency response team shot and killed one person. The two others, Robert Sand and Laurie Anne Bell, surrendered to police and were arrested. Bell was eventually convicted of manslaughter, while Sand was convicted of first-degree murder.