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One year later, no answers for family of slain P.A. man

Apr 11, 2016 | 5:58 AM

It has been more than a year since the Heffernan family lost their son in an incident with the Calgary Police Department (CPD), and now they’re turning to social media to raise awareness.

Michelle Kalke is a relative of Prince Albert-born Anthony Heffernan, who was shot in his hotel room by police on March 16, 2015. According to the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT), Heffernan was shot after failing to check out of his hotel room, and could not be subdued by tasers.

She said she considers Heffernan’s death “murder,” and she still has numerous questions about the incident.

“What kind of system is this?” Kalke asked. “It really feels that because it’s a CPD officer it’s gone this far and been drawn out.”

Kalke started a change.org petition asking why lethal force was used in the Heffernan incident, and also why the officer involved in the shooting was on active duty and again involved in a recent shooting in Calgary.

Dave McQueen was shot on Jan. 25, 2016 by CPD after shooting into the street, and engaging in a shootout with police.

Kalke admitted the two shootings were very different but said it was still concerning the same officer had been involved.

“It feels above the law. That he was back on active duty is crazy,” she said.

Kalke said it’s motivating to see engagement online about her petition, calling it a “movement.”

“People are starting to realize they can have a voice together,” she said.

Anthony’s mother Irene Heffernan said she was overwhelmed and greatful for the support from family, friends and people they didn’t know at all. 

Heffernan’s family created a GoFundMe page in April, 2015 to raise funds for what they’d been told would be a protracted legal battle against the CPD for answers.

“It’s pretty hard to hold them accountable,” his father Pat Heffernan said. “It seems very difficult to get answers…because it’s an on-going thing.”

According to Calgary media sources, ASIRT is seeking murder charges against the officer involved in the shooting. 

The Heffernan family is hoping to receive some answers soon.

“We hope there’s prosecution,” Pat Heffernan said. “We need to have protection for the public. We don’t want anyone to go through this, there’s no way this should have ever happened. We hope there’s changes, because if even one family is spared, that’s really important to us.”

 

ssterritt@jpbg.ca

On twitter: @spencer_sterrit