A true crime drama based on the 1997 murder of British Columbia teen Reena Virk does B次元官网网址渁 great disserviceB次元官网网址� to the victim, her family and her community, says a retired cop who worked on the original investigation.
The Disney Plus miniseries B次元官网网址淯nder the Bridge,B次元官网网址� which premieres Wednesday, centres on the real-life story of Virk, who was 14 when she was swarmed and beaten by a group of teens in Saanich, B.C., and subsequently drowned in a waterway.
Retired staff sergeant Chris Horsley, who served as a media liaison for the Saanich Police Department during the Virk case, says he hasnB次元官网网址檛 seen any episodes but worries about whether the show compromises accuracy for B次元官网网址渄ramatic effect.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 sad in a way because thereB次元官网网址檚 a lot of significant trauma in the real investigation,B次元官网网址� he says over the phone from Victoria.
B次元官网网址淏ut itB次元官网网址檚 a Hollywood production, right? Unfortunately, itB次元官网网址檚 made on the memory of someone who was in fact murdered here. So I probably wonB次元官网网址檛 watch the TV series.B次元官网网址�
Lily Gladstone and Riley Keough star as a Saanich police officer and writer investigating VirkB次元官网网址檚 death. Keough plays a version of late author Rebecca Godfrey, whose 2005 book B次元官网网址淯nder the Bridge,B次元官网网址� about VirkB次元官网网址檚 murder, serves as the basis for the show.
Horsley says none of the investigators involved in the Virk case heard from the B次元官网网址淯nder the BridgeB次元官网网址� production team during the seriesB次元官网网址� development and a spokesperson for the Saanich Police Department also says they were not consulted.
B次元官网网址淭he minute that the production strays from the truth and starts to become fiction, I think that is a great disservice to not only Reena and her memory but also to the people who worked on the case and those who participated here in the community,B次元官网网址� says Horsley, adding that several anti-violence programs were launched in the Greater Victoria area following VirkB次元官网网址檚 murder.
Publicists for the production with Disney Plus Canada did not respond to a request for comment.
Horsley says VirkB次元官网网址檚 death is, to this day, the B次元官网网址渂iggest media storyB次元官网网址� Saanich has ever had.
B次元官网网址淚t was very unique having not just young offenders but young female offenders committing such a degree of violence. I donB次元官网网址檛 think it was something we got our heads around at that point.B次元官网网址�
Episodes made available in advance portray Godfrey, who co-produced the series with creator Quinn Shephard before her death in 2022, as participating with police in the investigation. Horsley says this was not the case.
B次元官网网址淭hat didnB次元官网网址檛 happen at all. She didnB次元官网网址檛 write the book for long after the incident took place.B次元官网网址�
In the pilot, VirkB次元官网网址檚 uncle and father, played by Anoop Desai and Ezra Faroque Khan, visit the police station to report the girl missing but officers donB次元官网网址檛 take them seriously.
Horsley also counters this, saying school officials reported her missing and that Virk was living in a group home at the time because of a troubled relationship with her parents.
He adds that VirkB次元官网网址檚 family had an B次元官网网址渆xcellent working relationshipB次元官网网址� with the police.
According to documents released by the Parole Board of Canada last month, VirkB次元官网网址檚 killer Kelly Ellard B次元官网网址� who changed her name to Kerry Sim B次元官网网址� told her case managers it was B次元官网网址渟o horrendousB次元官网网址� that the series will B次元官网网址渞e-victimize the victimB次元官网网址檚 family.B次元官网网址�
Horsley says he expects that far more than just those connected directly to the case will be impacted by the series.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not just the family that would be retraumatized. I think itB次元官网网址檚 also friends of Reena and other people that lived in the community that were affected by the murder,B次元官网网址� says Horsley.
B次元官网网址淭he vast majority of the viewing audience, they donB次元官网网址檛 have that personal connection, but here in Victoria thereB次元官网网址檚 many people that do. ItB次元官网网址檚 been 27 years but thereB次元官网网址檚 still a lot of people in Victoria that were affected by this murder.B次元官网网址�
Horsley says heB次元官网网址檚 perturbed by the proliferation of true crime shows B次元官网网址渢hat are loosely based on real events.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淭he tragedy for me is theyB次元官网网址檙e not loosely based on real victims,B次元官网网址� he says.
B次元官网网址淭hese are real people with families that were murdered. And a lot of people are watching for entertainment value.B次元官网网址�
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