The death of RCMP Const. David Wynn in Alberta has cast a shadow on a community on the other side of the country, in his hometown of Miramichi, N.B.

Wynn, one of two officers shot at a casino north of Edmonton early Saturday morning, never regained consciousness and died Wednesday morning in hospital.

Mark Hambrook, of the Miramichi Salmon Association, knew the family well.

“His father was active in Scouts and Cubs and so was David, so he spent a lot of time in the woods,” Hambrook said.

“They had a little camp back here in the woods where he and his friends used to go and camp out on the weekends.”

John Hayward knew the family for years before they moved to Kentville, N.S.

David, who grew up and went to high school in Miramichi, was always around to help out, he says

“He was an outdoorsy kid, he loved to ski-doo with his father, he was a lifeguard,” said Hayward.

“He was an all-around great little student is what he was. He was a real nice guy.”

Brian Cummings, deputy chief of the Miramichi police, says that in a loss like this, members of municipal police forces across Canada and the RCMP grieve as one.

“We assisted the RCMP in the tragic events in Moncton in June. We have been there for them and they have been there for us many times,” Cummings said.

“Our hearts certainly go out to them in this tragic day.”

After the shooting in St. Albert, Alta., the suspect — 34-year-old Shawn Rehn — was found in a nearby home, dead of an apparent suicide.

Rehn was facing dozens of charges at the time of the shooting and questions swirl around why he had been granted bail in September with an extensive criminal record.

On Wednesday the Alberta RCMP announced they will do their own review encompassing all their interactions with Rehn, to see if there was anything more the force could have done to keep him off the streets.

That’s in addition to the review recently ordered by Alberta’s justice minister into how the Crown handled Rehn’s criminal career.

Wynn leaves his wife Shelly and three sons.

A regimental funeral is being planned in the Edmonton area.

With files from The Canadian Press and CTV Atlantic's David Bell