Investigators were in a Maple Ridge, B.C., neighbourhood Friday morning as residents came to terms with a violent incident that claimed three lives Wednesday night.
The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) says RCMP found two people — a man and woman in their 60s — and a dog dead inside a home on 239th Street.
Officers found another body in a neighbouring residence.
IHIT said Thursday that investigators believe the incident was the “result of a dispute between neighbours who were known to each other.”
Bruce Fairweather said the dispute had “been going on for a number of years,” and he was with the female victim hours before the attack and saw the suspect threaten her.
“She said something to him across the street, and he commented about breaking her neck,” Fairweather said.
Several residents who spoke to CBC News said the couple and their neighbour had been feuding over issues like street parking, backyard fires and the couple’s dog.
“She always had the dog on a long leash, and the dog would go up on his property, and he didn’t want anyone or anything on his property,” said Cheryl Cloutier.
CBC News isn’t identifying those involved pending notification of next of kin.
Ridge Meadows RCMP said officers were first called to the neighbourhood following a report of a dispute. They spoke with “several individuals” but didn’t make any arrests.
Hours later, just before 11 p.m., the Maple Ridge Fire Department reported a vehicle fire and a “break and enter in progress” at the same address.
Neighbours say they saw cars on fire and rushed to help.
“Kind of heroically, there were a number of neighbours [who] went to the front door,” Fairweather said. “The front door had been smashed open, so right away they knew there was something going on.”
When officers arrived, they found two vehicles and the attached garage on fire, and two people dead inside the home.
Mounties said a person was “believed to be armed with a weapon” in a neighbouring home.
They say police “set up containment,” and with the help of the Lower Mainland Integrated Emergency Response Team, managed to enter that home — where they found another person dead.
According to the Independent Investigations Office of B.C. (IIO), the third person died of what appeared to be a self-inflicted injury.
The IIO is investigating police actions in the incident. The civilian-led agency is called in anytime a police-involved incident results in death or serious harm in B.C.
Residents say the events of Wednesday night have left them shaken.
“They were just a good couple, nice to have as neighbours, and very engaging,” Fairweather said. “So to see them both gone now, it’s hard to fathom.”
