Charged for cop death

UPDATE: 1:25 p.m.

A man has been charged with murder in the shooting death of an Abbotsford police officer on Monday.

The charge against Oscar Ferdinand Arfmann, born in 1952, was laid in Abbotsford provincial court Tuesday.

Arfmann remains in custody.

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UPDATE: 9:30 a.m.

Abbotsford Police department have named the police officer who died in the line of duty Monday.

Const. John Davidson worked as a police officer for 24 years and has been with the Abbotsford Police Department since 2006.

“John was a dedicated police officer who devoted so much of his time to connecting with the community and helping kids,” said Const. Ian MacDonald.

Const. Davidson is survived by his wife and three adult children.

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ORIGINAL: 6:15 a.m.

A memorial for a police officer killed in the line of duty, Monday, is growing outside the Abbotsford Police Department headquarters.

Candles, flowers and notes are being left in tribute to the constable who was shot and killed in a confrontation over a stolen car.

Monday night, first responders lined the Brunette overpass as a procession of police vehicles filed by.

The officer, who has yet to be named, is being remembered as a hero after he died in an exchange of gunfire with a man accused of shooting at people in a parking lot.

Chief Bob Rich of the Abbotsford Police Department said officers were called about a vehicle stolen from MSA Ford, and the confrontation erupted in the parking lot of a shopping complex about 11:30 a.m.

A caller blocked the suspect's vehicle in while waiting for police to arrive.

"Unfortunately, a male suspect emerged from that vehicle and began shooting at the caller and others with a shotgun," Rich said at a news conference.

"There was an exchange of gunfire," Rich said. "The horrible part of this story, our injured APD officer was pronounced dead at the hospital shortly after he arrived."

The suspect, a man in his 60s from Alberta, was apprehended at Mt. Lehman Road and Fraser Highway, and taken to hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

"Our officers' actions today, all of them, were absolutely heroic," Rich said.

Premier John Horgan issued a statement on Twitter expressing his condolences to the family of the police officer.

"Deeply saddened to hear of the death of an Abbotsford police officer today. My heartfelt condolences go to the family, friends and colleagues," he said.

- with files from the Canadian Press.