The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) has been directed by the Director of Law Enforcement to investigate the Calgary Police Service officer-involved shooting on March 21 that resulted in the serious injury of a 30-year old man.
At approximately 11 a.m., 10-15 people were attending an antiracism rally in front of City Hall in downtown Calgary. A man approached the rally and appeared to be taunting participants. Verbal exchanges between the man and participants drew the attention of Calgary Police Service officers on scene to monitor the rally.
As police approached the male, he began briskly walking away westbound on 8th Avenue. Police advised dispatch of a description of the male and his direction of travel, which was broadcasted on the police radio.
Nearby, a uniformed Calgary Police Service officer, operating a marked police vehicle and in the company of three Calgary Police Service recruits observing the officer as part of their training, located a male matching the description walking northbound on Centre Street.
The officer moved to intercept the male by pulling his police vehicle in front of the man, who then walked around the vehicle and entered an alley between 7th and 8th Avenue SW. The officer exited his vehicle and followed on foot, while the recruits followed on foot some distance back.
The officer caught up with the man in the alley and there was brief physical confrontation between the man and the officer. At some point, the officer drew his police defensive baton, which was recovered on scene. The man produced a 14-16 inch long metal pipe (pictured below) from somewhere on his person, which was also recovered on scene. The officer drew his service pistol and fired, striking the man.
The man was attended to at the scene by emergency medical personnel who then transported him by ambulance to hospital where he remains in critical condition in the intensive care unit.
ASIRT is seeking the assistance of the public. This incident occurred in an open, highly populated busy downtown location on a Saturday morning. ASIRT investigators are asking anyone in the area of Centre Street and 8th Avenue at approximately 11 a.m. and who saw or heard anything unusual or who observed any part of this incident to please come forward and call 403-592-4306. If there is no one in the office at the time of your call, please leave a message with your name and telephone number, and an investigator will contact you as soon as possible.
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, as well as serious or sensitive allegations of police misconduct.