A true crime drama based on the 1997 murder of British Columbia teen Reena Virk does 害羞草研究所渁 great disservice害羞草研究所� to the victim, her family and her community, says a retired cop who worked on the original investigation.

The Disney Plus miniseries 害羞草研究所淯nder the Bridge,害羞草研究所� 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 hasn害羞草研究所檛 seen any episodes but worries about whether the show compromises accuracy for 害羞草研究所渄ramatic effect.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 sad in a way because there害羞草研究所檚 a lot of significant trauma in the real investigation,害羞草研究所� he says over the phone from Victoria.

害羞草研究所淏ut it害羞草研究所檚 a Hollywood production, right? Unfortunately, it害羞草研究所檚 made on the memory of someone who was in fact murdered here. So I probably won害羞草研究所檛 watch the TV series.害羞草研究所�

Lily Gladstone and Riley Keough star as a Saanich police officer and writer investigating Virk害羞草研究所檚 death. Keough plays a version of late author Rebecca Godfrey, whose 2005 book 害羞草研究所淯nder the Bridge,害羞草研究所� about Virk害羞草研究所檚 murder, serves as the basis for the show.

Horsley says none of the investigators involved in the Virk case heard from the 害羞草研究所淯nder the Bridge害羞草研究所� production team during the series害羞草研究所� development and a spokesperson for the Saanich Police Department also says they were not consulted.

害羞草研究所淭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,害羞草研究所� says Horsley, adding that several anti-violence programs were launched in the Greater Victoria area following Virk害羞草研究所檚 murder.

Publicists for the production with Disney Plus Canada did not respond to a request for comment.

Horsley says Virk害羞草研究所檚 death is, to this day, the 害羞草研究所渂iggest media story害羞草研究所� Saanich has ever had.

害羞草研究所淚t was very unique having not just young offenders but young female offenders committing such a degree of violence. I don害羞草研究所檛 think it was something we got our heads around at that point.害羞草研究所�

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.

害羞草研究所淭hat didn害羞草研究所檛 happen at all. She didn害羞草研究所檛 write the book for long after the incident took place.害羞草研究所�

In the pilot, Virk害羞草研究所檚 uncle and father, played by Anoop Desai and Ezra Faroque Khan, visit the police station to report the girl missing but officers don害羞草研究所檛 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 Virk害羞草研究所檚 family had an 害羞草研究所渆xcellent working relationship害羞草研究所� with the police.

According to documents released by the Parole Board of Canada last month, Virk害羞草研究所檚 killer Kelly Ellard 害羞草研究所� who changed her name to Kerry Sim 害羞草研究所� told her case managers it was 害羞草研究所渟o horrendous害羞草研究所� that the series will 害羞草研究所渞e-victimize the victim害羞草研究所檚 family.害羞草研究所�

Horsley says he expects that far more than just those connected directly to the case will be impacted by the series.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 not just the family that would be retraumatized. I think it害羞草研究所檚 also friends of Reena and other people that lived in the community that were affected by the murder,害羞草研究所� says Horsley.

害羞草研究所淭he vast majority of the viewing audience, they don害羞草研究所檛 have that personal connection, but here in Victoria there害羞草研究所檚 many people that do. It害羞草研究所檚 been 27 years but there害羞草研究所檚 still a lot of people in Victoria that were affected by this murder.害羞草研究所�

Horsley says he害羞草研究所檚 perturbed by the proliferation of true crime shows 害羞草研究所渢hat are loosely based on real events.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淭he tragedy for me is they害羞草研究所檙e not loosely based on real victims,害羞草研究所� he says.

害羞草研究所淭hese are real people with families that were murdered. And a lot of people are watching for entertainment value.害羞草研究所�

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