Two Edmonton Police Service officers, Const. Travis Jordan and Const. Brett Ryan, were tragically killed on March 16, 2023, while responding to a family domestic violence call at an apartment building near Westmount Mall. The officers were described as having been ambushed, and the shooter was later identified as a 16-year-old boy who also shot his own mother before dying of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The investigation revealed that the gun used in the shooting had been previously used in another incident at a nearby Pizza Hut, where a man named Rich Albert suffered a traumatic brain injury after being shot on the head while helping with late-night pizza deliveries.
In honor of the fallen officers, the Transportation Minister announced that two bridges on the southwest leg of Anthony Henday Drive would be renamed after Const. Travis Jordan and Const. Brett Ryan. The eastbound span of the recently widened bridge between the Cameron Heights and Terwillegar areas would be named after Jordan, who was born in Digby, Nova Scotia, and the westbound span would be named after Ryan, who was born in Edmonton and lived in Spruce Grove. Memorial signs with the officers’ names were to be posted at each end of the bridges to recognize their service and sacrifice.
To mark the one-year anniversary of their deaths, both officers’ names were added to the EPS memorial book, and a private service was held for them by members of the Edmonton Police Service. Chief McFee announced that their names would also be added to the memorial at Constable Ezio Faraone Park in central Edmonton as a tribute to their service and sacrifice. Additionally, the City of Spruce Grove announced earlier in the year that a new hockey arena would be named after Const. Brett Ryan, who had a love of hockey from a young age and later became a coach and mentor in the community.
The tragic deaths of Const. Travis Jordan and Const. Brett Ryan had a significant impact on the community and the Edmonton Police Service. The shooting incident at the apartment complex near Westmount Mall highlighted the dangers that officers face in the line of duty, especially when responding to domestic violence calls. The renaming of the two bridges on Anthony Henday Drive serves as a lasting tribute to the officers and a reminder of their service and sacrifice to protect the community.
The investigation into the shooting incident revealed the complex nature of the situation, with the shooter being identified as a 16-year-old boy who had also been involved in another shooting at a nearby Pizza Hut. The motive behind the shootings remains unclear, and the tragic events left lasting impacts on the victims, their families, and the community. The addition of Const. Travis Jordan and Const. Brett Ryan’s names to the EPS memorial book and other tributes serve as a reminder of their dedication to serving and protecting the community, as well as the risks that officers face in carrying out their duties.
The renaming of the bridges on Anthony Henday Drive after Const. Travis Jordan and Const. Brett Ryan serves as a visible tribute to their memory and the ultimate sacrifice they made in the line of duty. By honoring their names in this way, the community, along with members of the Edmonton Police Service, can pay tribute to their service and remember their contributions to public safety. The initiatives taken to commemorate their lives, such as adding their names to the EPS memorial book and planning a private service, show the impact that their deaths had on the community and how they will always be remembered as heroes who gave their lives in service to others.
