AER, Chair Protti and CEO Ellis: WHERE ARE YOU? ‘Very special person’ one of victims of fatal Fox Creek Blanket Approval Frac Experiment Camp knife attack

‘Very special person’ one of victims of fatal Fox Creek knife attack by Jana G. Pruden, July 3, 2015, Edmonton Journal
A northern Alberta work camp remains in shock and mourning after a gruesome double homicide that left the camp’s general manager and a client dead, and another employee in police custody charged with two counts of murder.

The victims killed in Tuesday’s attack have been identified as Hally Dubois, 50, of Red Deer, and David Derksen, 37, from La Crete.

Daniel Goodridge, 28, has been charged with two counts of first/second-degree murder, three assault charges, and a charge of interference with human remains. Court documents say the interference charge relates to the cutting of pieces of one of the victims’ bodies.

“It’s a terrible, terrible tragedy and it’s shocking every member of this company,” said Kim Capjack, chief operating officer for DJ Catering and the Berland Open Lodge. The lodge is part of the broader Canada North Camps company, and is located about 300 kilometres northwest of Edmonton.

RCMP were called to the work camp at about 1:50 a.m. on Tuesday for a report of a man with a knife attacking people. Officers arrived to find two people dead, and the suspect still armed.

According to information released by the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) on Tuesday afternoon, a confrontation then occurred “that resulted in the man being shot.”

The suspect was taken to Edmonton by STARS Air Ambulance with serious injuries. Capjack said both Dubois and the accused, Goodridge, were employees of the camp. She said Dubois has worked for the company for about five years, and described her as a “kind, caring, hard-working, very special person.”

Goodridge was employed as a general helper in the kitchen, and had been with the company for two years.

Derksen was one of the clients staying at the camp at the time. His sister declined to speak with the Journal on Friday.

“Everyone is shocked,” Capjack said. “Obviously our thoughts are with the victims’ families. Our primary focus is on our staff.”

Capjack said there were about 20 people staying at the camp at the time of the attack, including staff and guests. She said counselling services have now been made available to whoever wants it.

RCMP spokeswoman Sgt. Josee Valiquette said RCMP are not releasing any other details about the case, including any possible motive for the attack.

Because the homicides occurred at a workplace, Occupational Health and Safety is also investigating. ASIRT is investigating the RCMP shooting.

Goodridge will appear in Fox Creek Provincial Court on July 27, 2015. [Emphasis added]

Fox Creek work camp double murder suspect charged in Alberta oilpatch
Charges come 2 days after a man and a woman were stabbed to death by CBC News, July 03, 2015

A small community in northern Alberta is coming to grips with a stabbing in a work camp that left a man and woman dead earlier this week.

“The brutality of the crime is what really shook the community up,” said Bill Neufeld, the reeve of Mackenzie County.

Hally Dubois, 50, and David Derksen, 37, have been identified as the two people killed in the grisly attack Tuesday at the Berland open work camp, about 50 kilometres outside Fox Creek, Alta.

Police were called to the camp, a facility for oil and gas and logging employees to stay overnight while working at remote sites, just before 2 a.m. Tuesday. There they found the two people dead.

Shot while being arrested

Police later found a suspect and shot him while taking him into custody. He was taken to hospital with serious injuries.

Daniel Goodridge, 28, of Edmonton is charged with first-degree murder, second-degree murder and interfering with human remains in the attack.

Neufeld said that the incident was witnessed by a two men, Alan MacDonald and Timothy Brassard, who both live in the community.

“They witnessed it and they were the ones chased by the attacker there into the bush,” Neufeld said. “They’re shook up pretty bad.”

Goodridge is facing two counts of assault with a weapon against the men and an additional count against RCMP Const. Brealey Schram.

Neufeld said the community is looking into providing counselling for the witnesses.

“They had a real harrowing experience,” he said.

Abe Klassen was a childhood friend of Derksen and lives in Fox Creek.

“He was a good friend and a hard worker,” Klassen said. “He was good to get along with.”

‘Wanted to live for the Lord’

He said Derksen was an experienced logger and equipment manager who was working in Fox Creek to set up the work camp. While his friend had made some “not so wise” choices in the past, Klassen said, he had recently become deeply religious and was “making changes” in his life.

“He was a different man. He just wanted to live for the Lord.”

Klassen said Derksen’s family is still in shock over the death, but is working to try to forgive the person responsible for the killing.

“How can anyone be that cold, how can anyone do that?” he asked.

“I just pray the man who did this will be able to see what he has done and repent.”

Goodridge is scheduled to appear in Fox Creek provincial court on July 27. [Emphasis added

Fox Creek mayor on double homicide in work camp, says shadow population can be troublesome by Otiena Ellwan, June 30, 2015, Edmonton Journal

Fox Creek mayor on double homicide in work camp, says shadow population can be troublesome

Two people are dead and a 28-year-old man seriously injured and in police custody after a knife attack at a work camp west of Fox Creek early Tuesday morning, RCMP say.

The motive for the attack is not yet known.

RCMP were called to the Berland Open Lodge, about 50 kilometres west of Fox Creek on ANC Road, at about 1:50 a.m. on Tuesday after receiving calls about “a man armed with a knife attacking people.”

Officers arrived to find two people dead, and then encountered a man armed with a weapon.

According to information released by the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) on Tuesday afternoon, “a confrontation occurred that resulted in the man being shot.”

ASIRT says the 28-year-old man was taken to Edmonton by STARS air ambulance and remains in serious condition in hospital.

RCMP major crimes officers are investigating the two homicides.

ASIRT, which investigates police incidents that result in injury or death, is investigating the shooting. The ASIRT statement says the agency will not be commenting until the investigation is finished.

The identity of the two people who were killed, and the man who was shot have not been released to the public. Autopsies on the two deceased people are expected to take place later this week.

Investigators believe the suspect acted alone and say they are not looking for any other any other suspects. It’s not known if the man was staying at the camp at the time.

RCMP spokeswoman Sgt. Josee Valiquette said no charges have been laid yet.

The Berland camp is similar to a hotel. Contractors working in the area stay for one day to three weeks on average and are employed by various companies, said Tyler McCracken, a manager for DJ Catering.

DJ Catering Ltd., a Canada North Group Inc. company, owns and operates the camp. It provides accommodations for workers in the oil and gas industry in remote locations.

McCracken wouldn’t go into specifics about the incident, but said the company will co-operate fully with RCMP.

“It is obviously a very serious incident and the focus needs to be on the RCMP and their ability to do the investigation,” he said.

“We’re very conscious and concerned about the … mental safety and health of our people.”

DJ Catering released a statement through the RCMP later Tuesday saying the company is “deeply saddened by the incident.”

“Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with the victim’s families at this time. The RCMP will provide any further updates with respect to the investigation.”

Fox Creek Mayor Jim Ahn said there are about 8,000 people living in work camps around the town, an additional 2,000 transient people in town, and only six RCMP officers based out of the local detachment. While the shadow population generally doesn’t cause too many problems, Ahn said it’s difficult to control what’s going on there.

“With work camps, there is always the transient population that are troublesome, but not to this extent,” he said.

Ahn reiterated that the stabbing did not occur in town, which he described as “one of the safest places in the world.”

“We’re a population of 2,000 and we’re servicing about 10,000 in the shadow population, so it really, really hurts your town,” he said.

Fox Creek is located about 260 kilometres northwest of Edmonton. [Emphasis added]

[More information:

June 30, 2015: Cumulative Impacts Frack Attack? Double Homicide in “No Duty of Care” AER and Gerard Protti’s Fox Creek Blanket Approval Pilot Project

This entry was posted in Global Frac News. Bookmark the permalink.