Mayerthorpe murder scene recreated with 3-D imaging

A fatality inquiry got a look Wednesday morning inside the scene of a deadly ambush that left four RCMP officers dead in March 2005.

Testifying in Stony Plain court on Wednesday, forensic firearm specialist Darryl Barr showed three-dimensional renderings of the interior of the Quonset hut where the shootings occurred.

Barr said he could not conclusively determine the order of the shots fired, but he was able to provide a glimpse into some of what happened.

He told the inquiry a large number of the shots fired by James Roszko originated in the southeast corner of the Quonset, where there was a large plastic drum, a vehicle hood and a freezer.

But additional shots were fired from other areas of the Quonset, leading Barr to conclude Roszko was moving throughout the structure as he fired at the officers.

The 3-D renderings showed the inside of the Quonset hut, with two greenhouse structures toward the back of the building, a truck trailer on the side in the middle, and various piles of other items.

Blue figures were used to indicate the final positions of the officers’ bodies inside the Quonset.

Anthony Gordon’s body was shown near the door of the Quonset and Leo Johnston and Peter Schiemann’s bodies were depicted lying together in the centre area of the structure.

Brock Myrol was found at a dead end at the back of the Quonset, shot from behind.

An orange figure depicting Roszko showed the shooter splayed out at the door of the Quonset, having shot himself in the chest after a gunfight with another officer outside.

Judge D.R. Pahl said he would not release the 3-D images of the scene to the media, out of consideration for the feelings of the parties involved.

The inquiry continues this afternoon.