An autopsy to determine the exact cause and identification of a 23-year-old woman who died in an explosion in her apartment Friday morning began yesterday in Calgary, police said.
The woman, identified by members of the community as Vicky Shachtay, was killed just after 9 a.m. Nov. 25 after a package containing an explosive device delivered outside her ground level apartment on 51 Avenue was brought inside and opened.
Her 30-year-old female caregiver, who was at the apartment when it happened, explained this to RCMP. A follow-up from explosive experts brought in from Edmonton and Ottawa confirmed over the weekend the package contained an explosive device.
RCMP spokesman Sgt. Patrick Webb said police still have to determine if the package was meant for her of it was more random. He is still advising the public to take caution with any unanticipated packages delivered unexpectedly.
“Even if it was targeted for her, it could be targeted for somebody else too. We don’t know the reasoning or the motive … at this point.”
Webb wouldn’t comment on details surrounding the package, such as its size.
“That is something we can ascertain from witnesses, but at the same time it’s part of what they are investigating with the explosive team.”
Damage to the apartment was contained within the building. The only evidence of exterior damage was a window facing 51 Avenue that was blown out.
The explosive team was still at the scene Monday. They said when arriving over the weekend they would need two to three days to collect evidence.
“As you can imagine, it’s very, very minute work to do. We also have our major crime unit doing background of the victim, trying to find anyone who may be related in any way from this event.”
Webb said the apartment is small, and has one main open area where the package was opened.
The sound of the explosion was heard by surrounding neighbours and an upstairs tenant said his breakfast table lifted a foot off the ground.
“Everything in the apartment just started shaking,” said Garrette Stewart, who was playing Xbox in an apartment above when he heard a loud bang.
“I thought he dropped something or that something had fallen over,” said roommate Brendan Devine, who was asleep in his room at the time of the explosion.
The two went outside to see a woman crying and police arriving.
“It sounded like a 12 calibre going off right by my head,” said another upstairs. “The nanny (caregiver) was crying and saying the woman opened a present and it exploded.”
The men shivered in the cold weather near a peace officer’s truck and offered statements. They didn’t know when they would be let back in, but said they weren’t in a hurry to return. In total, three adjoining apartments were evacuated.
Shachtay’s 30-year-old caregiver was in the next room when the explosion occurred, said police. She was taken to hospital to be checked over but released with no serious injuries, police added.
The Innisfail Fire Department arrived quickly on scene before 9:15 a.m. but left once police began treating it as a potential homicide.
The streets surrounding the fourplex were quickly closed off and by 10 a.m. the area from 46 Street to 49 Street was completely blocked off with access from the alleyways taped off as well.
Neighbours began walking towards the scene to learn more about the sound they had just heard.
“I don’t know quite how to describe the sound,” said neighbour Tom Lindl who was just getting up for the day. “I was getting up and my wife was just about to leave the room and we heard this sound, like snow fell and hit the deck. We thought, what was that?”
Lisa Frank, who lives in the apartment building kitty-corner to Shachtay’s, heard a big bang. “Then we heard someone crying,” she said, unsure of what to think.
Webb expects the area will be blocked off for another day or two. “It’s hard to say how fast it will proceed. … We’ll hold onto the scene as long as we need to.”
École St. Marguerite Bourgeoys Catholic School, located along 51 Avenue was in session Friday. Administration with the Red Deer Catholic School Board confirmed Monday the school went into a lockdown shortly before 9 a.m. All of the doors were locked, and students remained within the building for the duration of the school day under advice of the RCMP. The lockdown was officially lifted at 2:30 p.m.
