Dear Sir:
This past Mother’s Day, my family was travelling back to Smithers from Terrace. As we neared Kitselas Canyon, a large number of RCMP vehicles raced past us.
A disturbed man had set his car on fire, effectively blocking the highway in both directions. He attacked an approaching vehicle with an axe, apparently threatened others, and then sat down with his axe to await a confrontation, one he never received due to the expert intervention of the RCMP on the scene.
The motorists gathered a safe distance from the scene, watched for several hours as the police carefully set up a perimeter, ensuring safety for everyone involved, including the man who started the problem.
Our predictions for how it would end ranged from Tasers, to gas, or far worse. While we could not hear or see what occurred very well, we could tell they were patient and kind in their treatment of him.
The confrontation ended peacefully, even though clearly that was not the man’s intention.
Too often, our news outlets only report these situations when they end badly, and we rarely hear of the likely hundreds of successful situations like this one. That opinion has been confirmed by the lack of coverage of this event.
I would like to take the time, on behalf of my family, myself, and the other grateful motorists that day, to thank all of the members involved for their fine work.
I think this is especially important to say during RCMP week.
There are people out there who appreciate what you do.
Warren Kluss,
Smithers, B.C.