Watch above: A family from Prince Albert has laid their loved one to rest after Anthony Heffernan was shot dead by Calgary police a week ago. Joel Senick finds out why family members are demanding answers from the authorities.
PRINCE ALBERT, Sask. – The family of a man who was shot and killed by Calgary police last week are demanding answers as they mourn the loss of their loved one. Anthony Heffernan, 27, was remembered Wednesday at his funeral in Prince Albert, Sask.
Family members say he had a heart of gold and lived life to the fullest.
“We love him very much and we’ll miss him,” said Steven Heffernan, one of Heffernan’s three brothers, outside of the cathedral where the funeral was held.
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Heffernan was shot by a police officer on March 16 at a Super 8 hotel in northeast Calgary. Authorities were responding to a call after a man missed his checkout time.
READ MORE: Man killed by Calgary officer at northeast hotel wielding a needle: sources
His family said police broke down the door to his room and encountered Heffernan, who battled drug addiction, with a small syringe and a lighter in his hands. After they were unable to subdue him with a Taser, an officer fired and fatally shot Heffernan.
“He was taken down with three shots to the head and one to the chest and we want to know why,” said Steven.
Calgary police have said they were confronted with a “high risk situation,” during the incident with Heffernan.
“Closure may be when justice is served, that will be closure for us in some way, but we’ll never really have true closure,” said Steven.
Heffernan moved from Prince Albert to Alberta to pursue further education after graduating from St. Mary’s High School in 2006. At his funeral, family members said he carried joy within him and could light up any room he walked into.
“Hard working, very loving, good natured, always had a smile on his face and he was always there to give a helping hand to anyone in need,” Steven said of his brother.
“Just a very loveable person.”
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