Former Saultite held in fatal Ottawa police stabbing

A graduate of Sault College's native addictions counsellor program is being held in connection with this morning's stabbing death of an Ottawa police officer.

National media reports indicate that Kevin Gregson, an RCMP officer on medical leave, is expected to be charged with murder.

Gregson also worked as a hospital orderly, Ottawa media are reporting.

In April, 2007, Gregson, then a 40-year-old RCMP officer, received a conditional discharge after he pleaded guilty in Saskatchewan to uttering a death threat against a Mormon bishop.

Evidence in that case indicated that Gregson approached the church official off-duty, pulling a knife when told he was not yet qualified to receive credentials to enter a Mormon temple as a non-member.

Gregson said afterward that he felt "messed up" in his head, and cysts were eventually found in his brain, for which he underwent surgery.

The Ottawa Citizen has identified the officer who died today as Constable Eric Czapnik, who had served three years with the Ottawa Police Service.

"Czapnik was sitting in his police cruiser outside the emergency department of the Ottawa Hospital's Civic Campus at about 4:30 a.m. when he was attacked and stabbed," the newspaper says.

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More coverage of this story

CBC video coverage of today's stabbing #1 CBC video coverage of today's stabbing #2 CBC coverage of 2007 Saskatchewan case