The two suspects in the shooting death of Ontario Provincial Police’s Const. Grzegorz Pierzchala have been charged with first-degree murder.
Pierzchala, 28, was fatally shot while responding to a call about a vehicle in a ditch near Hagersville, Ont. OPP say it happened at the intersection of Indian Line and Concession 14 shortly after 2:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Pierzchala, who had just completed his probationary period, was transported to the hospital with life-threatening injuries and pronounced dead a short time later.
The two suspects are Randall McKenzie, 25, from the Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation and Brandi Stewart-Sperry, 30, from Hamilton.
OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique said McKenzie had been banned from owning any firearm for life since 2018.
Three years later, in 2021, McKenzie was charged with several firearms-related offences and assaulting a police officer.
Carrique said McKenzie was released on bail on a number of conditions, including remaining in his residence and not possessing any firearms.
He was supposed to answer to the charges in September of this year, the commissioner said, but he failed to attend court. A warrant was later issued for his arrest.
“Needless to say, the murder of Const. Greg was preventable. This should have never happened. Something needs to change.
“Our police officers, your police officers, my police officers, the public deserve to be safeguarded against violent offenders who are charged with firearms-related offences.
“I’m outraged by the fact that McKenzie was out on bail and was provided the opportunity to take the life of an innocent officer,” Carrique said.
“I know there is a lot of interest to ensure, where possible, people who are charged with violent offences that are firearms-related are not in those positions moving forward.”
“Over the course or three of four days, our officers responded to literally hundreds of motor vehicles that had gone into ditches because of the weather, literally hundreds of motor vehicle collisions,” said Carrique.
“But, in this particular case, provincial Const. Pierzchala was shot and fatally injured moments after arriving on the scene.”
Carrique noted that Pierzchala was equipped with a body-worn camera.
“That will form part obviously of the evidence that the investigators are working with, as well as they are seeking independent witnesses to the events which will form part of their canvas that they will be commencing tomorrow. So despite having some video evidence, we are relying on members of the community who saw anything to cooperate with the investigation,” he said.
The commissioner also further paid tribute to Pierzchala during the news conference. He said the 28-year-old, who had been with the OPP for over a year, was highly regarded and respected by his colleagues despite his short stint with the force.
“They knew they could rely upon him in the most dangerous and stressful of situations. He was taken from us untimely by this tragic murder,” Carrique said.
McKenzie and Stewart-Sperry appeared in a Cayuga court on Wednesday afternoon via video. They have been ordered by the court not to communicate with numerous people, including potential crown witnesses, her co-accused, and the family of the victim.
They remain in custody and are due to return to court on Jan. 17.
Justice Brett Kelly called it a “very sad and tragic day for our community.”
“I don’t recall that this has ever happened in my lifetime. And my condolences go out to the families as well as to the OPP detachment here in Cayuga and Haldimand,” Kelly told the courtroom.
