Mounties are mourning one of their own after an RCMP officer was fatally stabbed at a homeless campsite in Burnaby, British Columbia.

Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald says the death Tuesday of Const. Shaelyn Yang, 31, will be felt by her colleagues who say goodbye to their loved ones each day when they go to work to serve their communities.

Police say Yang was partnered with a city employee when an altercation broke out at a campsite and she was fatally stabbed.

A suspect, who was shot and seriously injured, was being treated in hospital.

Burnaby Mayor Mike Hurley says the city worker who was with Yang was “deeply shaken” and the city is offering support to affected staff.

Homicide detectives are investigating the death, while the Independent Investigations Office of B.C., which looks into any incidents of serious harm or death involving police, is also reviewing what happened.

“As the commanding officer of the B.C. RCMP, I can tell you that an on-duty death is the most difficult and heart-wrenching incident we deal with as an organization,” McDonald said.