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Family releases new details surrounding police shooting in Calgary

Mar 23, 2015 | 5:02 PM

It’s been a little more than a week since Anthony Heffernan, 27, was shot and killed by police inside a hotel room in Calgary.

The family has asked for privacy during their time of grieving but have provided paNOW with a statement.

According to the statement, Anthony battled an addiction, and fought constantly to keep himself clean.

“He hated it. He phoned his parents and sister every day, sometime twice, to help him with staying clean”, said Natalie Iaquinta, on behalf of the Heffernan family.

“If he weakened in his battle, he would find a hotel room away from friends and family. Here he could remove himself and keep his issue at a distance from others. On Sunday, March 15th, 2015, Anthony had a relapse.”

The statement provides more details about the day Heffernan died at the Super 8 hotel. This information was given to the family by investigators.

When Heffernan failed to check out at 11 a.m. on March 15, the hotel staff became concerned and called police. 

When police arrived, they were unable to gain entry to Heffernan’s room as it was secured by a bar latch. Police would then attempt to communicate with Heffernan through the door for about half an hour before deciding that due to his current state they should enter the room.

According to a police statement issued last week, Heffernan appeared agitated and in medical distress. 

When police entered the room, Heffernan immediately stood up from the bed he was sitting on, and raised both hands above his head. In one hand he was holding a small lighter and in the other hand he grasped a small syringe. When Heffernan failed to drop the objects as he was told, a police officer used a Taser on him.

Heffernan immediately fell back on the bed, removed the Taser from his chest, and stood back up. Heffernan was again asked to drop the objects but this time when he failed to comply, one police officer Tasered him, another fired five shots.

“He was struck three times in the head and once in the chest and [another bullet went through the window],” said Iaquinta.

Police have not confirmed these details, saying only that the matter remains under investigation.

In the meantime, the family has questions of its own. 

“[How does] a young man who was in medical distress, who was causing no public disturbance other than missing check out time, warrant five police officers… bust[ing] down his door, thereby escalating the situation?” said Iaquinta.

The family is also questioning why it took police 11 hours to notify the family of Heffernan’s death.

“Why [couldn’t] a man who had no weapons … be detained in another way; and is it protocol to fatally shoot someone if a Taser is unsuccessful?” she said.  

The funeral

The funeral service for Anthony Heffernan will be held Wednesday morning at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Prince Albert. The interment will follow at Winton Cemetery, near Birch Hills.

According to his obituary, Heffernan loved baking, his specialty was chewy double chocolate chip cookies.

When back home on the family acreage, Heffernan loved snowmobiling, motor biking and hunting.

He also enjoyed taking care of litters of Shepherd puppies.

Heffernan graduated from St. Mary High School in Prince Albert in 2006.

In the fall, he took the electrician apprenticeship program in Alberta, and on March 28 he was set to write the final for the Masters Electrician Program.

nmaxwell@panow.com

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell