FREDERICTON – The Fredericton police officer who shot and wounded the suspect accused of killing four people in the city two years ago says he opened fire when Matthew Raymond pointed a rifle at him.
Const. Brett Arbeau was testifying Monday at Raymond’s trial on four counts of first-degree murder.
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Raymond is accused of killing Donnie Robichaud, Bobbie Lee Wright and police constables Robb Costello and Sara Burns in the parking lot of an apartment complex on Aug. 10, 2018.
The defence says Raymond killed the victims but is not criminally responsible because of a mental disorder.
Arbeau says he was instructed to shoot the suspect if he tried to start shooting again.
The constable says the white male in an apartment window locked eyes with him and pointed the barrel of his rifle directly at him.
The officer says he shouted, “Gun! Gun!” before shooting the suspect in the abdomen, causing him to fall to the floor.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 28, 2020.