Archive - 1940
Homicide #1940-xx
Date - 1940-02-10
Victim - McDonald, Constable John (26)
Accused - Attamanchuk, Mike (The Horse) (24)
Charge -
On February 10th, 1940, Constable John McDonald was on a stake out with his partner Constable Norman M. Stewart.
The officers were inside a building at 120 Fort Street when three safe-crackers entered and began to attack the safe. The officers tried to arrest them but one man, Mike "The Horse" Attamanchuk opened fire hitting both officers. Constable McDonald was killed and Constable Stewart was wounded.
Attamanchuk killed himself a couple of days later when trapped by police officers and the other two men were arrested and imprisoned.
The death of Constable McDonald lead to claims of incompetence in the department, favoritism and low morale. These charges made in City Council lead to the appointment of a Royal Commission. The report of the Donovan Commission cleared the department of these charges.