Roll of Honor
Incident
On August 10, 2018 43 year old Constable Sara Mae Burns and Constable Lawrence Bob Costello were shot and killed responding to a shots fired call. At approximately 7:00 am, the Fredericton Police Force received calls of shots being fired in the 200 block of Brookside Drive. Constables Burns and Castello responded and arrived on scene to observe two people lying on the ground. A lone gunman, shooting from a position of advantage from the third floor of the apartment complex shot and killed both officers. The area was locked down by police during which time the suspect was engaged in a shootout with the police. At approximately 9:45 am, the suspect was taken in custody and transported to the hospital. Constable Burns was born in Scotland and travelled to a Papua New Guinea before settling in Canada. She attended school in Fredericton and started a family before, at the age of 40, she filled her life long dream of joining the police. She joined the Fredericton Police Force and graduated from the Atlantic Police academy in 2016. Sara is survived by her husband and three children. Our condolences go out to the family, friends and colleagues. As we start 2026, we can look back and note that we have been very fortunate to not have lost anyone in Canada to a Line of Duty Death (LODD) these last two years. Since the launch of the Memorial Rib… Photo: Memorial Ribbon Society Directors Shawn Coady & James Pearson with Tumbleweed Spirits Co-Owner Mike Patterson Police and Peace Officers’ Memorial Ribbon Society Directors Shawn Coady and …
Survivors
Sara is survived by her husband and three children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-CA-FED-FEA967B0- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 8, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Officer Mae Burns served with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Mae Burns.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Sara Mae Burns is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In ON, 75 of 334 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 22.5% of this state's fallen. That is 31.7 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.
At Royal Canadian Mounted Police, 75 of 333 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 22.5% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Sara Mae Burns's cause is highlighted.
How Sara Mae Burns Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Sara Mae Burns is highlighted in Aug.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths.
Others Who Wore This Badge
332 officers from Royal Canadian Mounted Police are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
