Pat and Irene Heffernan have carried grief and unanswered questions for a decade. Their son, Anthony Heffernan, was shot and killed by police in 2015 during what was meant to be a simple wellness check at a Calgary motel.
On Monday, a disciplinary hearing that was supposed to address the actions of two Calgary Police Service (CPS) officers ended abruptly. Instead of hearing evidence, the cases were withdrawn within an hour. For the Heffernan family, it felt like another door slammed shut in their long search for justice.
On March 16, 2015, motel staff grew concerned when Anthony, who was 27 at the time, did not check out of his room. Five police officers were called to investigate.
Anthony was found alone, struggling with a relapse and using drugs. Just 72 seconds after officers entered, he was shot four times — including in his head and neck.
Police later said Anthony held a syringe, though it had no needle attached. Officers claimed he moved toward them, but his family believes police failed to use safer options that could have prevented his death.
The officer who fired the shots, Const. Maurice McLoughlin, faced possible criminal charges. However, prosecutors decided not to pursue them.
Three officers resigned from CPS after the incident, which meant they avoided discipline. The two remaining officers, Sgt. Lon Brewster and Const. Sandeep Shergill, were supposed to face a five-day disciplinary hearing this week.
But the cases were suddenly dropped. Officials said too much time had passed and even if found guilty, the officers would likely only face a written reprimand.
For Anthony’s parents, the decision was devastating.
“The Calgary police should be held accountable for their actions, and until they are, there will be no real change,” said Pat.
Irene added that the family feels they are being denied justice and transparency. They also question why Brewster, the sergeant in charge at the time, did not make a better plan before officers entered Anthony’s room.
A CPS spokesperson said the officers who were still facing discipline were not directly responsible for Anthony’s death.
“This decision was not made lightly,” the spokesperson said. “The loss of a child is the deepest grief, and we know this has been an extremely difficult process for the family.”
Shergill’s lawyer welcomed the decision, saying his client had lived under the stress of the case for ten years.
Doug King, a criminal justice professor, said the outcome shows the family has been left without closure. He questioned whether Alberta’s justice system delivered fairness in this case.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Justice said it is waiting on a review of the province’s police oversight body before making further comments.
Despite the legal disappointments, Anthony’s parents keep his memory alive.
“He was our fifth child. His brothers and sister adored him,” said Irene.
“Do we miss him? Absolutely,” added Pat. “He had a quick wit, a fun spirit, and a wonderful sense of humour.”
The family plans to appeal the decision to drop the charges and hopes to meet with Calgary’s acting police chief soon. For them, the fight is not just about their son, but about making sure no other family suffers the same pain.
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