Suspect shot while attempting to forcefully remove police officer's equipment: ASIRT

Dec 18 2019, 7:25 pm

The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) is investigating the circumstances surrounding an officer-involved shooting near Blackfalds, Alberta, that left a 26-year-old man with injuries.

According to a release from Blackfalds RCMP, on December 13, 2019, at approximately 5:30 am, an officer responded to a report of a single-vehicle collision on Highway 596 and Range Road 10.

While responding, RCMP says the officer came across a second vehicle, also in the ditch, containing three males.

According to ASIRT, the vehicle containing the males appeared to be stuck.

“After stopping to determine if they required assistance, the officer encountered three men trying to get the vehicle back onto the road. During the encounter, the men unexpectedly attacked the officer and took the officer to the ground, where a struggle ensued,” said a release from ASIRT.

“During the struggle, the men were trying to remove the officer’s equipment.”

The confrontation with the three men led to the officer reportedly discharging their firearm.

The three males then proceeded to steal the marked police vehicle and flee the scene.

According to ASIRT, “the RCMP found the police vehicle abandoned in a field near Highway 11, and shortly thereafter, officers apprehended and arrested all three men.”

RCMP say the officer suffered minor injuries during the confrontation, while one of the males was found to have suffered a “non-life threatening injury” and was transported to hospital, treated and then released into police custody.

“The 26-year-old man sustained a gunshot wound to his right calf,” said ASIRT in the release.

The other two men, a 25- and 27-year-old were uninjured.

According to the ASIRT release, police later determined that the stopped vehicle containing the three men was stolen.

“Investigators found a loaded firearm in the glove compartment during a subsequent search,” said ASIRT.

ASIRT also said that the marked police vehicle was equipped with the Watchguard in-car video recording system, which was operational.

As the investigation is underway, ASIRT says no further information will be released.

Blackfalds, Alberta is an hour and a half outside of Edmonton.

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.”

Rumneek JohalRumneek Johal

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