Widow of Toronto police officer killed in the line of duty speaks – Toronto | Globalnews.ca

Margaret Northrup is candid about life since losing her husband in the early hours of July 2, 2021.

“It’s been a nightmare ever since,” she tells Global News, sitting in the family room of the Brampton home she shares with her three children and three cats.

Her husband, Const. Jeff Northrup went to work the night shift on Canada Day at the 52nd Division of the Toronto Police Service and the family went to bed.

“My son wakes me up around 3:30 in the morning, my youngest son. He said ‘Mom. There’s a bunch of cops at the front door,’” he said.

“I jumped up, put on a little smock, started down the stairs, I didn’t even notice, I didn’t even think, and I saw all these white police shirts, hats and hands, and I couldn’t. Don’t verbalize it. My knees started shaking and all I could say was ‘oh god. Oh God’.”

Margaret said that Chief Ramer sat in the living room and broke the news to the family that Jeff had been involved in an incident and did not survive.

“I was in a lot of shock. I’ve heard of shock. I have treated shock as a nurse. I’ve never really been in shock, and that shock lasted a good four months. I didn’t cry for the first six hours. I went out on my front porch and chain smoked,” Margaret recalled.

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Northrup, 55, who had 31 years of service with the Toronto police, had been killed while investigating a stabbing at City Hall. The plainclothes officer and his partner in the major crimes unit were in the underground parking lot investigating the priority call when Northrup was struck and killed by a vehicle.

In the hours after his death, Ramer addressed the media saying they “believed it was a deliberate and intentional act.”

Umar Zameer of Thornhill, 31, was charged with first degree murder. He has since been released on $335,000 bond last September. The evidence in this case is covered by a publication ban.

Margaret Northrup, a nurse who has worked in correctional facilities in Toronto for years and who knew Jeff when he was a court officer transporting inmates to court, said accountability is important to her.

“That’s all I want is accountability and I don’t know what justice will look like,” he said, saying he fears the next few years and worries that the children will hear the details of what happened to their father.

“It will be difficult. Pre-trial will be difficult. Another year after that is the trial. It looks like there won’t be any closure for a long time.”

As for the family’s plans for this Canada Day long weekend, they spent Thursday laying Jeff’s ashes to rest.

“Just the kids and me. Everything has been very public. I understand that Jeff was a police officer and he was there to keep the public safe and I understand that they cry with me and I feel the support and love, but we have to do this as a family unit,” said Margaret.

On Saturday, the anniversary of Jeff’s death, the Northrups will head to a barbecue at the 52nd Division to spend time with her late husband’s former colleagues from the main crime unit and his former platoon, many of whom were mentors. from Jeff.

“That’s very important to us as a family and I think it’s important to them as our other family, as our blue family. They have been so supportive and loving and caring and proud as we are, as are my children and Jeff’s children,” said Margaret, whose youngest son, Mitchell, just graduated from high school as an Ontario Scholar and received three awards. That’s especially impressive, Margaret said, given Mitchell’s rough year.

Margaret said Mitchell, who looks a lot like her father, will be at the barbecue on Saturday, as her father often is, cooking for his platoon.

“Mitchell will also make Jeff’s famous brownies for you to enjoy.”