On
May 15th, 2004 at approximately 03:00 hours, Constable
Chris Garrett of the Cobourg Police Service responded
to a call involving the alleged robbery of an 18-year-old
Cobourg resident. Constable Garrett was unaware that in
fact there was no robbery and he was being lured into
a planned ambush.
When Constable Garrett arrived he began taking the
details of the alleged robbery and radioed his colleagues
a description of a suspect. This left Constable Garrett
alone with the supposed victim while the other officers
searched for a suspect. While trying to help this apparent
victim, Constable Garrett was suddenly attacked with
a knife and suffered a mortal wound to his throat. Although
dying, Constable Garrett somehow managed to draw his
firearm and pursue his attacker, firing off his entire
clip of 17 bullets. Constable Garrett was able to wound
his murderer with his last shot before he succumbed
to his injury.
Constable Garrett’s murderer, Troy Davey, was
arrested at the Cobourg Hospital when he attended as
a result of the gun shot injury.
It was later learned through the investigation that
Davey’s actions that night were part of a larger,
detailed scheme. After killing the police officer, he
planned to steal a car and kill two attendants at a
local gas station, then go to the Cobourg Police Station
and set off two home-made anti-personnel explosive devices.
He also planned to shoot police officers and civilian
employees at the police station using a shot gun in
his possession and the firearm stolen from the officer
he had initially murdered.
Constable Garrett’s heroic actions while he was
mortally wounded this prevented a greater tragedy by
halting this heinous chain of events.
Photo taken at the Chris Garrett Memorial Park By: Mark Leonard