Cops: Gunman Who Killed 3 Mounties Captured

After a manhunt that lasted more than 24 hours, police say that the man believed to have shot three Canadian Mounties dead is in custody and that residents of Moncton, New Brunswick, can safely leave their homes. A police spokesman says Justin Bourque, 24, was arrested just after midnight, the CBC reports. The northern part of the small city had been locked down since three officers were killed and two others wounded Wednesday night. Bourque—described by neighbors as a withdrawn man who loved hunting—was spotted three times during the massive manhunt, which involved police officers from across Canada, but still managed to elude capture for more than a day, the AP reports. No motive is known.

Police caught up with Bourque on a street of homes around half a mile from where the rampage began, reports the Globe and Mail. "He was in my backyard. I saw him arrested in front of my eyes. He is alive," one witness tweeted."The SWAT team arrived at my house and unloaded and started screaming in my backyard for him to surrender and he did. I watched it happen." Another witness says she heard the suspect yelling, "I'm done" after police shouted at him to give himself up. Canada's governor-general says today is a day to remember the sacrifices of the three Mounties killed, the force's first deaths in the line of duty since 2007, CTV reports. (More Justin Bourque stories.)