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Within 72 seconds of officers entering Heffernan’s room, he was hit with a Taser twice, which failed to drop him. As a second officer attempted to Taser him, one officer fired a service weapon.

Witness officers said Heffernan either “moved forward toward the officers or lunged in their direction,” holding a lighter in one hand and a syringe in the other before the shots were fired.

THE CANADIAN PRESS

Heffernan was struck with four of the six shots fired; three of those bullets struck him in the head and neck.

The Heffernan family said the process has been extremely difficult for them.

“It’s like living a nightmare all the time, because it’s something so alarming to us that has not come to an end,” said Pat Heffernan, Anthony’s father. “And the reality is no matter what does happen, Anthony is gone from this Earth and we will never have him again. It’s heartbreaking for us.

“(The officer) murdered Anthony, there’s no doubt about that. That’s why ASIRT wanted him to be charged with second-degree murder. He shot an unarmed person.”

The Police Act investigation, which could potentially bring forth disciplinary actions, is often conducted in-house but instead was forwarded to the RCMP, Engel said.

“I think the chief of the Calgary Police Service decided it wouldn’t be a good idea for them to investigate it themselves,” he said. “Once the RCMP finish the investigation, it goes back to the chief of the Calgary Police Service to determine whether charges will be laid. I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re waiting to let (incoming) chief (Mark) Neufeld make the decision.”

Neufeld is expected to take office sometime in June.

The officer who shot Heffernan was involved in another police shooting a year later, when Dave McQueen was shot and killed in Huntington Hills in January 2016.

A fatality inquiry is set to begin June 5 in Calgary regarding McQueen’s death, while Heffernan’s does not have a set date.

Neither ASIRT nor RCMP responded to Postmedia’s request for an interview.

zlaing@postmedia.com

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