NIAGARA FALLS, ON — A tragic series of events that began with the daylight killing of a Brampton woman ended early Wednesday when police fatally shot the suspect in Niagara Falls, concluding a province-wide Amber Alert and manhunt.
Peel Regional Police confirmed that 38-year-old Anthony Deschepper, wanted in connection with the fatal shooting of Savannah Kulla, 29, was shot and killed during an encounter with police officers at a gas station near Thorold Stone Road and Montrose Road around 2:30 a.m.
According to Niagara Regional Police, officers located Deschepper hours after he allegedly shot Kulla in a parking lot near Queen Street East and Airport Road in Brampton on Tuesday afternoon. The mother of four was pronounced dead at the scene. Police classified the killing as an intimate partner-related homicide.
Following the shooting, Deschepper allegedly fled the scene in a black 2024 Nissan Kicks with Quebec licence plates, taking the couple’s one-year-old daughter with him. An Amber Alert was issued province-wide but was cancelled shortly afterward when the infant was found safe and unharmed after being dropped off with relatives in the Niagara Region.
Hours later, police tracked Deschepper to the Niagara Falls gas station. During what investigators described as an “interaction” with officers, one officer discharged their firearm multiple times. Deschepper was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Ontario Special Investigations Unit (SIU) — which investigates deaths and serious injuries involving police — has taken over the case. The SIU confirmed that a firearm belonging to Deschepper was recovered at the scene, though there is no evidence it was fired.
A woman who was driving the Chevrolet vehicle Deschepper was in at the time has been arrested, with charges pending, police said.
Both vehicles connected to the case — the Chevrolet from the Niagara Falls encounter and the Nissan Kicks from the Brampton scene — have been recovered.
A post-mortem examination for Deschepper is scheduled for Thursday, as investigators continue to collect evidence and interview witnesses to determine the sequence of events leading to the fatal confrontation.