A man suspected of fatally shooting his partner in Brampton and fleeing with their infant daughter was shot and killed by police in Niagara Falls early Wednesday, ending a province-wide Amber Alert and manhunt.
Niagara Regional Police identified the deceased suspect as 38-year-old Anthony Deschepper, the father of the one-year-old girl who was the subject of Tuesday’s Amber Alert. Deschepper was pronounced dead after what police described as an “interaction” with officers at a gas station near Thorold Stone Road and Montrose Road. The Ontario Special Investigations Unit (SIU) is investigating the officer-involved shooting.
Peel Regional Police said they were called to a parking lot near Queen Street East and Airport Road in Brampton around 2 p.m. Tuesday. Officers found a woman with gunshot wounds who was pronounced dead at the scene.
Family members identified her as Savannah Kulla, 29, a mother of four children, including the one-year-old daughter allegedly taken by Deschepper after the shooting. Police confirmed the case is being treated as an intimate partner-related homicide.
Following the shooting, police said Deschepper fled in a black 2024 Nissan Kicks with a Quebec licence plate, taking the child with him. An Amber Alert was issued later that afternoon. The alert was cancelled a short time later when the infant was found safe and in good health after being dropped off with relatives in the Niagara Region.
Hours later, officers tracked Deschepper to a gas station in Niagara Falls. Around 2:30 a.m. Wednesday, police said there was an interaction between Deschepper and officers. One officer reportedly fired multiple rounds, and Deschepper was pronounced dead at the scene.
The SIU said a woman was driving the Chevrolet vehicle Deschepper was in at the time. She was arrested, and charges are pending. Investigators also confirmed that a firearm belonging to Deschepper was recovered at the scene, though there is no evidence it was fired.
Niagara police said Deschepper had travelled to the region after leaving his daughter with family members. Both the Chevrolet vehicle involved in the police interaction and the Nissan Kicks from the Brampton scene have been recovered.
The SIU, an independent agency that investigates deaths or serious injuries involving police, remains on scene collecting evidence. A post-mortem examination for Deschepper is scheduled for Thursday.
