Const. Grzegorz “Greg” Pierzchala was responding to calls on his own for the first time in his Ontario Provincial Police career when he was shot and killed Tuesday.
The 28-year-old rookie was told earlier that day he had successfully completed his 10-month probationary period as an OPP officer and was cleared for solo patrol.
OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique said Pierzchala had wanted to be police officer since he was just five years old.
“[He] had a brief opportunity to live out his dream and to do his best to keep our community safe,” Carrique told CTV News Toronto.
Previously, Pierzchala served as a special constable at Queen’s Park and was a member of the Canadian Armed Forces.
Before that, he was a competitive wrestler and competed in events during his time at York University and as a high school student in Barrie.
He was awarded senior athlete of the year by St. Joan of Arc Catholic High School after qualifying for OFSAA (Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations) in swimming and wrestling and participating in soccer, track and field, weight training and rowing.
In a statement issued Wednesday by the Barrie high school, staff remembered him as an “inspiration and positive influence to all.”
“He approached his life with incredible determination, compassion and joy. It is not surprising that he followed a career path of service to others,” the statement read.
Pierzchala was responding to a call about a vehicle in a ditch near Hagersville, Ont. shortly after 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, when he was shot and killed.
When Pierzchala arrived at the scene in the area of Indian Line and Concession 14, he approached the vehicle and was shot at by two of its occupants, according to Carrique.
He was transported to hospital with life-threatening injuries where he was pronounced dead.
Two suspects, Randall Mckenzie, 25, and an unidentified 30-year-old woman, were spotted fleeing the scene in a vehicle.
Police issued an alert for the pair in the aftermath of the shooting and advised residents to shelter in place as officers searched for them.
The suspects are now in police custody and charges against them are expected to be announced by police later today.
With files from CTV News Toronto’s Siobhan Morris.
