Niagara police reported that a man suspected of fatally shooting a woman in Brampton, Ontario, and abducting his one-year-old child was killed in an encounter with officers early Wednesday. The suspect, identified as 38-year-old Anthony Deschepper, was located in a vehicle at a gas station in Niagara Falls around 2:30 a.m., according to police.
Upon the arrival of Niagara police’s emergency task unit, an interaction ensued resulting in Deschepper’s death. Authorities confirmed that no officers sustained injuries during the incident. The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) has initiated an investigation into the officer-involved shooting, limiting the release of further details by the police.
SIU spokesperson Kristy Denette disclosed that Deschepper was shot multiple times by a single officer, although the circumstances leading to the shooting remain unclear. A firearm was recovered at the scene. Deschepper was being sought in connection with the woman’s fatal shooting at a Brampton plaza parking lot on Tuesday afternoon. He fled the scene with his child in the vehicle.
Although an Amber Alert was briefly issued for the abducted child, she was later found unharmed, and it was believed she had been left with family members. Const. Mandeep Khatra indicated that the incident was likely related to intimate partner violence, but investigations were ongoing to ascertain the exact events. The identity of the deceased woman has not been released by the authorities.
Niagara police received information late Tuesday suggesting Deschepper had left Crystal Beach, leading to his location at the gas station. Deschepper was found in a different vehicle from the one he used to escape the shooting scene on Tuesday. A woman accompanying Deschepper in the vehicle has been taken into custody, pending charges, with her relationship to Deschepper yet to be clarified.
Individuals with information on the incident are urged to contact the SIU or provide anonymous tips through Crime Stoppers of Niagara. The case has been assigned five SIU investigators and two forensic investigators for further examination.