RCMP Const. Shaelyn Yang, 31, a homeless person and mental health worker, was fatally stabbed while responding to a call about a man in a tent at a park in Burnaby, BC, just east of Vancouver, on October 18. She is being remembered on Wednesday with a regimental funeral that began with a street procession and will end at Richmond’s Olympic Oval, where mourners are due to gather at 11am. PT to say their final goodbyes — and thanks — to Yang. “He paid the ultimate sacrifice,” said Burnaby RCMP Staff Sgt. Major David Douangchanh, who helped organize the event. CBC News is broadcasting the procession and funeral live until the end of the event. Const. Shaelyn Yang, 31, worked in the Burnaby RCMP’s mental health and homelessness outreach team. Killed in the line of duty on October 18, 2022. (Provided by RCMP) The streets of Richmond, which borders Vancouver to the south, were a colorful parade as Mounties marched in red serges and first responders from across the country and Washington state marched to the funeral site. The pounding of their boots on the cement and the steady beat of the drums kept time as a crowd of lay mourners stood by in mournful solidarity. The procession was led by the RCMP E Division Pipe Band and, as is RCMP tradition, included a riderless horse known as a charger as a tribute to the fallen officer. Young’s flag-draped casket was carried by hearse surrounded by honor officers, who were to carry her to the funeral home. Colleagues who trained with Yang, or knew her personally, were left behind in the hearse. Major road closures and traffic restrictions in the area around the Richmond Olympic Oval will be in place until at least 1:30pm. PT. RCMP are warning motorists that roads on both sides of the Fraser River near Vancouver International Airport’s South Terminal are being affected. Douangchanh estimates that at least a thousand additional responders, including municipal police, firefighters, paramedics and members of the armed forces are attending the event.
“Gentle, but brave”
Yang was the daughter of immigrants from Taichung in central Taiwan. Her parents flew from Taiwan to Vancouver to attend her funeral, and Douangchanh said the outpouring of support from colleagues and the public was a comfort. “We want to make sure they understand that we will never forget the sacrifice that Shaelyn made and made and we will always remember and honor her and be there for the family moving forward,” he said. In a statement before the funeral, Young’s family described her as a woman who was “kind but brave, compassionate but courageous”, who “brought her laughter and joy wherever she went”. An earlier procession honoring slain RCMP Const. Shaelyn Yang was taken into custody by the Surrey RCMP detachment on October 21. (Ben Nelms/CBC) Members of the public cannot attend the funeral at Richmond’s Olympic Oval, but the City of Burnaby is hosting a viewing at the 2,000-capacity Willingdon Church at 4812 Willingdon Ave. RCMP say there is no public place to leave flowers in Yang’s memory along the procession route and asked people to wear red to honor her. In Yang’s honor, the roof of Vancouver’s BC Place will light up in red, gold and blue on Wednesday. Anyone wishing to send an email to the family can email [email protected] and police say these will be forwarded to Yang’s loved ones and the Burnaby detachment.
