Police procession to be held for fallen OPP officer Friday morning

A procession is scheduled Friday morning to escort the fallen Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officer who was shot to death earlier this week.

Const. Grzegorz “Greg” Pierzchala, 28, was killed Tuesday afternoon when responding to a call about a vehicle in a ditch near Hagersville, Ont.

The procession for Pierzchala will depart from the Centre of Forensic Sciences in Toronto at 9:00 a.m. and travel northbound on Highway 400 to Barrie where he will be laid to rest.

“Members of the public are invited to join First Responders in showing their respects from one of the many overpasses along the highway. Please do not stop on the highway to exit your vehicle as this poses a serious safety concern,” the OPP said in a news release on Thursday.

CP24.com will stream the procession live.

A police funeral will be held in Barrie on Jan. 4. The OPP said details will be announced once they have been finalized.

On Wednesday, two suspects, Randall McKenzie, 25, from the Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation and Brandi Stewart-Sperry, 30, from Hamilton, were charged with first-degree murder in the death of Pierzchala.

OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique said McKenzie had been banned from owning any firearms for life since 2018. In addition, McKenzie was charged with several firearms-related offences and assaulting a police officer in 2021.

McKenzie was released on bail on a number of conditions and was supposed to answer to the charges back in September but failed to attend court. A warrant was later issued for his arrest.

Both McKenzie and Stewart-Sperry are due back in court on Jan. 17.

In an update about the case on Wednesday evening, Carrique said Pierzchala was "essentially ambushed" when he attended the intersection of Indian Line and Concession 14 to respond to the call, and "stood absolutely no chance of being able to defend himself."

Carrique said the two suspects also allegedly stole a vehicle to flee the scene. They later ditched that vehicle and fled the scene on foot, but officers were able to track and arrest them nearby.

The commissioner also paid tribute to Pierzchala and said he had been with the OPP for over a year and was highly regarded and respected by his colleagues.

At the beginning of his shift on Tuesday, Pierzchala received notice that he had successfully completed his 10-month probationary period with the OPP. Prior to working for the OPP, Pierzchala was a former Queen's Park special constable.

With files from CP24’s Bryann Aguilar