Bail hearings pushed back for teens accused in death of police officer
Posted January 4, 2021 11:12 am.
Last Updated January 4, 2021 11:41 am.
CALGARY (660 NEWS) — Two teens charged with first-degree murder in the death of Calgary police Sgt. Andrew Harnett appeared briefly in court Monday morning.
Bail hearings were scheduled for 19-year-old Amir Abdulrahman and a 17-year-old, but they were both pushed back to a later date.
The 17-year-old will be in court on Jan. 19, while Abdulrahman will appear on Feb. 4.
WATCH: Calgary police officer killed while on duty
Lawyer Balfour Der, who is representing Abdulrahman, said outside the Calgary courthouse that he is still trying to gather all the available information on the case.
“We’re early on in the process, and I’m here to, of course, represent his legal interests, and we’ll see how it unfolds,” he said. “We’ve adjourned it now for a month so that I can obtain the disclosure of the police file and the evidence to know something about the case and then decisions can be made after that.”
Harnett was executing a traffic stop on New Year’s Eve outside a gas station on Falconridge Dr. N.E. when the vehicle fled the scene and struck him. First aid was provided at the scene but Harnett died in hospital over an hour later.
Messages of condolences continue to stream in to Calgary police and Harnett’s family, as his wife is expecting their first child.
The 17-year-old’s name was made public after the incident in a rare move to help locate him, but after he and Abdulrahman surrendered to police on New Year’s Day, his name could no longer be publicized.
Der added that he is still unsure about why the charges are so severe.
“I don’t know how much there is in this case. I spoke very briefly with the prosecutor and there may not be as much as in other cases, but it’s yet to be seen,” Der said. “I can’t explain why the charge is first-degree murder at this stage, because I’m not privy to any of the evidence yet.”
Police allege that the 17-year-old was driving the vehicle when it hit Harnett, and Abdulrahman was a passenger. Abdulrahman was also wanted on a warrant for assault at the time.
