9-year-old girl killed in 'horrific' Boxing Day crash after robbery suspect runs red light, say police

Calgary police say a nine-year-old girl died and others were hospitalized after a robbery suspect was involved in a multi-vehicle crash on Thursday morning. 

Police didn't mince words describing the event.

"It was a horrific collision," Duty Insp. Scott Campbell told reporters Thursday afternoon.

"Thankfully at this time, there weren't more people involved but certainly our hearts go out to the families that were involved because it's really a horrific scene."

Campbell is describing a crash scene at Southland Drive and Macleod Trail S., but it started further south.

"We were called at around 9:30 a.m. ... for reports of a pharmacy robbery that occurred at Pharmasave Millrise, located at 15 Millrise Blvd. S.W.," investigators said.

"It is believed the suspect assaulted a pharmacist and fled the scene in a stolen vehicle."

After locating the vehicle, officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but the driver refused to stop and continued driving at high rates of speed.

Campbell said at one point, HAWCS estimated the speed at around 180 kilometres an hour.

Due to the suspect's unsafe driving behaviour, as well as traffic in the area, they decided not to pursue the stolen vehicle on the ground but instead used a HAWCS helicopter to monitor the situation.

About 20 minutes later, the suspect ran a red light at Southland Drive and Macleod Trail, hitting several vehicles in the process.

Four people were seriously injured in the crash and taken to hospital in critical condition. Police confirmed Thursday night the youngest victim, a nine-year-old girl, died from her injuries.

The driver was arrested and charges are pending, police said.

Fundraiser set up

A man who works with one of the affected families has set up an online fundraiser.

"It was very disturbing for a lot of us, and then trying to piece together the severity of what has happened," Zara Wishloff told CBC News in a Friday interview.

Wishloff is the president of APD, where Amanda Reitmeier worked for about a decade. Amanda's daughter Victoria is the child who died in the incident.

"This family has to deal with so much now," Wishloff said.

"Not only the death of a nine-year-old, which is unimaginable, but they also have the road ahead of recovery. They have two injured people still on the mend."

He said the GoFundMe campaign might allow the family to focus on other things.

The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) is investigating the initial contact police had with the suspect, while police are asking for witnesses to the collision to contact them at 403-266-1234 or online.

"We have called in resources to help families deal with this, as well as witnesses," Campbell said.