Mayerthorpe inquiry exhonerates Mounties

STONY PLAIN, Alta. – A fatality inquiry into the deaths of four Alberta Mounties has found the RCMP acted appropriately in dealing with gunman James Roszko.
    In a written decision, Judge Daniel Pahl found no fault with the training, experience or abilities of the officers who lost their lives near Mayerthorpe in March 2005.
    Contables Anthony Gordon, Leo Johnston, Brock Myrol and Peter Schiemann were gunned down on Roszko’s farm while guarding a grow-operation and auto parts chop shop they found in a Quonset hut.
    The inquest heard how Roszko, who had fled his farm the previous day, snuck back and ambushed the officers.
    A key point at the inquiry was whether RCMP took the threat of Roszko returning seriously enough, given his long criminal history and previous run-ins with the law
    But Pahl found that there was nothing to suggest that Roszko was likely to “engage in a premeditated attack against the RCMP.”