On April 19, 2018, the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) was directed to investigate circumstances surrounding an incident where a member of the Okotoks RCMP fired his service pistol while attempting an arrest.
On the same day at approximately 8:20 p.m., members of the Okotoks RCMP responded to a complaint about a suspicious vehicle in the parking lot of the Okotoks Safeway. Officers determined that the vehicle, a white 2016 Jeep Cherokee, had been reported stolen and observed a man asleep inside the vehicle. When police woke the man up, he put the Jeep in motion. While driving away in the Jeep, the man struck an RCMP vehicle, the Safeway building and several parked vehicles before exiting the parking lot.
During the course of these events, an RCMP member fired his service pistol, striking the Jeep but not the driver. Police followed the Jeep a short distance to a residential area and later found it abandoned. Officers subsequently took a man into custody nearby. The man, believed to be the driver of the Jeep, was not injured during the incident.
Investigators are asking anyone who witnessed this incident or may have photos or video to call ASIRT at 403-592-4306.
The RCMP will conduct the investigation into any criminal conduct on the part of the man driving the Jeep. ASIRT’s investigation will focus on the circumstances surrounding the police interaction with the man that led to the discharge of a service pistol.
ASIRT’s mandate is to effectively, independently and objectively investigate incidents involving Alberta’s police that have resulted in serious injury or death to any person. For the purposes of this mandate, this includes officer-involved shootings that would likely have resulted in serious injury or death if anyone was struck.
This release is distributed by the Government of Alberta on behalf of the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team.