A Canadian police officer originally from the United Kingdom has been shot dead while trying to execute an arrest warrant in a hate crime investigation, officials announced on Tuesday.
Daniel Woodall, a 35-year-old married father of two from Salford, was shot several times with a high-powered rifle in Edmonton on Monday night.
“Constable Woodall gave his life tonight in the service of citizens of this city and our country,” said the city’s police chief, Rod Knecht, at a press conference on Tuesday.
“This strikes at the very heart of every police officer and certainly their families and loved ones.”
A second officer, Sergeant Jason Harley, 38, was also shot in the lower back during the incident, but has been released from the hospital.
The officers were attempting to enter the home of 42-year-old Norman Raddatz, a suspect in a hate-crimes investigation, when they came under fire. The shooting went on for at least 10 minutes, Knecht said, and at some stage in the incident the house caught fire.
Raddatz is believed to have died in the house as it burned. More than 50 bullet holes were later found in a home across the street.
Knecht said the officers were investigating a campaign of harassment against a local family. “The online hatred and bullying of an Edmonton family had become extreme, and the family members were increasingly worried about their personal safety, at which time the Edmonton police service became involved,” Knecht said
Woodall, an eight-year veteran of the Edmonton police, moved to Canada in December 2006 after working for the Greater Manchester police for four years.
Detective Inspector Jim Faulkner of GMP said that Woodall was a “truly ebullient man”.
“He was extremely keen to learn and always had a smile on his face,” Faulkner told the Press Association. “He would do anything for any of his colleagues, every one of whom liked him and were sad when he decided to leave for Canada.”
“This was done purely for the benefit of his young family,” Faulkner said.
He also noted a memorable job where Woodall had to chase a person suspected of serious assault.
“Unperturbed, Dan gave chase and threw his torch at the offender’s back, which caused him to stumble and fall,” Faulkner said. “Dan promptly arrested him.”
