An autopsy to determine the exact cause of death and identification of a woman who died in an explosion in her Innisfail apartment Friday morning began yesterday in Calgary, police said.
The victim, identified by members of the community as Vicky Shachtay, a 23-year-old woman who was wheelchair-bound, 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 followup 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 or 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.
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 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.
École St. Marguerite Bourgeoys Catholic School, located along 51 Avenue was in session Friday. Administration with Red Deer Regional Catholic Schools 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. Family and friends are grieving the loss of 23-year-old.
“She was a great person,” said Shachtay's pastor, Dave Wiebe, who said Shachtay was a faithful member of the Innisfail Alliance Church. “On behalf of her family, she was a great daughter, sister and wonderful mom to her own daughter.”
On April 29, 2004 Shachtay, 16, was a passenger driving back from Caroline with three friends when the driver of the car lost control near Spruce View. The car rolled several times before coming to a stop in a field. After being rescued by emergency services, Shachtay soon learned she had sustained a C4, C5 and C6 spinal cord injury losing her sensation below her chest. It was then she found out she was four months pregnant.
Shachtay's daughter, Destiny, was born the following September and since then, community members always saw her out with her daughter.
“I'll remember her riding her wheelchair behind my house with her baby in her arms,” said Brent Dougherty, the operator of the Innisfail Co-op Gas bar who had Shachtay in his employ twice over the years.
She worked briefly when she was 15 at the gas bar but several years later returned and worked for about a year, he said.
“When she was in her wheelchair she did the paperwork and she also did the cashier (work). Everybody would come in and see her. She was always happy with everybody, she always got along well.” He said she always talked about her child and what she would do with her on her time off.
“She was young. She always came across as a tough girl, but she was really smart,” he said, adding she caught on to everything at work quickly.
“She was a good worker, I could always count on her to be here. She went the extra mile to get here sometimes when she needed to,” he said, explaining she used the handicap bus to get to work initially but soon after got her own van and was able to drive.
“Our hearts and thoughts go out to the family,” said Innisfail mayor Jim Romane, who was on scene Friday, to learn more about what had happened.
“Hopefully there's some resolution to it and it's not a random thing.”
Sunday, Wiebe opened the weekly service with a prayer session for Shachtay's family, the church and the community. He said the church was packed and people huddled into groups to pray.
“It was a powerful prayer session,” said Wiebe.
A trust fund is being set up for Destiny, who is currently in the care of Shachtay's family.
