3rd witness sought in hit-and-run death of Calgary police officer

Calgary police have released new images from a body-worn camera as they try to find a third person believed to have been in the back seat of the vehicle involved in the hit and run that killed Sgt. Andrew Harnett on New Year's Eve.

Harnett, 37, was conducting a traffic stop on a SUV when its driver fled the scene, carrying him for 400 metres as the vehicle reached speeds of up to 90 km/h while the driver attempted to push Harnett off the vehicle.

Eventually, Harnett was flung into oncoming traffic. Other officers and paramedics tried to save Harnett, but he died in hospital nearly an hour later.

Police charged two teens with first-degree murder: a 17-year-old — since turned 18 — who was the alleged driver of the SUV, and Amir Abdulrahman, 19, who police say was the front-seat passenger.

A third person, who was sitting in the back seat, has not yet come forward, police said in a release Monday.

That person is believed to have been wearing a Burberry-style check shirt or jacket.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at 403-266-1234 or contact Crime Stoppers anonymously.

The younger of the teens charged in Harnett's murder was again denied bail on Monday. Under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, the accused cannot be identified.

Youth court Judge Steve Lipton refused bail for the teen on Friday and has now denied an application that he be released into the custody of a responsible person.

That person would have had to exercise care and control over the teen.

Calgary police said investigators are working hard to gather evidence but that because the matter is before the courts, no further information is being released.