December 28, 2022 4:06pm
First-degree murder charges have been laid against a pair in the death of a young provincial police officer near Hagersville.
According to investigators, at around 2:40 p.m. Tuesday, a Haldimand County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officer was shot while responding to a vehicle in a ditch at Indian Line and Concession 14 of Walpole.
Police said two suspects, took off from the scene which resulted in an emergency alert being issued, asking the public to stay indoors while officers searched for the pair who were said to have been armed and dangerous. The pair were taken into custody several hours later.
The slain officer was later identified by OPP as 28-year-old Grzegorz (Greg) Pierzchala, a provincial constable who had served on the force for just over a year. Early Wednesday morning, a gathering of provincial police and other police officers, first responders and community members gathered for a procession as Pierzchala was moved from West Haldimand Hospital to the Office of the Chief Coroner for Ontario in Toronto.
Late Wednesday afternoon, court documents show two suspects, identified as 25-year-old Randall McKenzie and 30-year-old Brandi Stewart-Sperry were both charged with first-degree murder.
