Family of suspected cop killer expresses condolences to family of officer killed

The family of one of the two suspects charged in the shooting death of an Ontario police officer expressed condolences to the officer’s family.

In a written statement to the Canadian Press on Wednesday, Randall McKenzie’s family extended sympathies to the family of late Const. Grzegorz “Greg” Pierzchala and wished them healing and peace.

The family said McKenzie had some challenges growing up, got into the wrong crowd in high school and began abusing drugs at a young age.

“Everyone is having a difficult time processing this and is extremely hurt,” McKenzie’s family said in their statement, adding “intergenerational trauma is a real thing.”

McKenzie’s family said they have been bombarded with hateful messages since the shooting. The statement said they are being called “savages and trash and disgusting and that we should rot.”

“We are not horrible people,” it said.

RELATED: 2 charged with first-degree murder after OPP officer fatally shot in Hagersville

McKenzie, 25, and 30-year-old Brandi Crystal Lyn Stewart-Sperry are each facing a charge of first-degree murder in the death of Pierzchala, who was responding to a vehicle in a ditch west of Hagersville, Ont., Tuesday afternoon when he was fatally shot.

Police say McKenzie was under a lifetime firearms prohibition and had been charged in 2021 with several firearms offences and assaulting a peace officer.

A warrant had been issued for this arrest and additional charges were laid after he failed to show up for a court appearance in September.

A frustrated OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique called Pierzchala’s death preventable, adding “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,” he said.

“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.”

Court documents show McKenzie had a history with the justice system.

A 2021 document from the Parole Board of Canada says McKenzie is from the Onondaga First Nations of the Six Nations of the Grand River Territory. He was serving an almost three-year sentence for robbery, assault with a weapon, possession of a weapon and other charges when his release was revoked that year because he was not complying with his terms.

In the robbery, which happened in 2017, the document describes how McKenzie pointed a handgun at a restaurant owner, ordering him to hand over his car keys and money.

“You pled guilty, and described that you needed money for drugs,” the document says.

The document says McKenzie has experienced the negative impacts of colonialism.

“Your biological parents struggled with alcohol and were neglectful,” it reads.

“You believe your adopted grandfather may have attended residential school … You have suffered abuse, experienced addiction and have been disconnected from your family and cultural community. These losses and negative experiences are likely linked to your offending.”

Pierzchala is the fourth officer in Ontario to be fatally shot since September.