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RCMP officer killed on-duty remembered by childhood friend

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REGINA -

Gavin Trost is recalling fond memories of his childhood neighbour and friend Shelby Patton.

RCMP Const. Patton, 26, initiated a stop with a stolen truck in Wolseley, Sask on Saturday morning. He was struck by the vehicle and later died at the scene.

Trost and Patton attended Yorkdale School and graduated from Yorkton Regional High School, but he hadn’t seen him in a few years.

“I feel awful about it because at a time he was one of my closest friends and I haven’t gotten to talk to him in years and I can’t go back and do that again,” said Trost.

The last time Trost saw Patton was when he and some other friends went to Patton’s place to play video games.

Patton used to organize these game nights for the group, memories Trost looks back on fondly.

Trost said he, Patton and two other close friends played Minecraft together frequently.

“That’s actually like one of the things I still have a copy of,” he said. “It’s still out there on YouTube somewhere, that’s like just honestly good memories of hanging out, having fun playing games.”

Trost remembers Patton as being relatively quiet, but also as the nicest person he knew. Adding Patton was genuinely friendly and happy, and liked to talk to everybody.

“It was hard to be anything but happy when you’re around him,” remembered Trost. “He is one of those people who just always had a smile on his face.”

Becoming an officer was something Patton had been talking about in the last few years of high school, but Trost said he never thought anything like this would ever happen.

When he initially heard the news of Patton’s death from his mom Trost said he couldn’t believe it, but now that it has become a reality he’s missing his old friend.

“I regret not knowing him more and talking to him more,” said Trost.

“I regret not taking all the photos and taking memories of everything because it’s hard to look back on that and have such a great friendship with someone and know someone and then just have nothing in it afterwards besides the memories.”

Trost has been in contact with the other members of the friend group through text, and they also remember Patton as always having a smile on his face.

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