Alberta’s police watchdog says the officer involved in a non-fatal shooting in downtown Edmonton on March 2, 2023, was justified in their actions.
On the day of the shooting, Edmonton police officers responded to reports of a man with a gun on the Funicular Promenade Bridge up to the Frederick G. Todd lookout.
EPS said at the time, officers “began establishing physical containment of the suspect,” and asked the man to surrender before noting the man did not comply.
During the incident, an officer fired their weapon which hit the man and he was taken to hospital.
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Alberta’s police watchdog — the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) — was alerted to the shooting and began an investigation.
Just over a year later, ASIRT says they investigated matters surrounding and leading up to the officer firing their gun.
Through the investigation, they learned that multiple 911 calls were placed and confirmed the Edmonton Police Service’s original statement on reports of a man with a gun.
They also learned that in one of the reports, one of the callers claims she was pushed to the ground, and had a gun pointed at her face, before being told to “Get out of here.”
ASIRT then went on to confirm that EPS did set up a containment area, and told the suspect to drop his gun, noting the demand to drop the gun was repeated multiple times as the suspect reportedly did not comply.
Investigators say the officer in question was leading the tactical unit up the stairs of the bridge, and when he turned a corner near a clear glass elevator, the suspect then lifted his gun barrel off the ground, which is when the officer fired multiple shots.
AP (the suspect) crouched with gun held down to the ground as tactical officers approached up the stairs. (Photo Courtesy: Alberta Serious Incident Response Team)
Investigators learned that the man had reportedly taken methamphetamine earlier in the day.
“In records that investigators obtained, AP (the suspect) had advised medical officials that he had attended the location with the intent of inciting a ‘suicide by cop’ situation,” said ASIRT in a statement.
ASIRT says through all their findings they found the officer’s actions were justified and that “he was lawfully placed and acting properly in the execution of his duties.”
Noting this falls under section 25 of the criminal code, which states an officer is authorized to use as much force as is reasonably necessary where he or she has reasonable grounds to do so. Which is “if the officer believes, on reasonable grounds, that the force was necessary to prevent the death or grievous bodily harm of the officer and/or any other person.”
