Alberta’s police watchdog has found no grounds to lay charges after an RCMP officer shot & injured a man during a confrontation in Stettler in 2022.
In a decision released Nov. 28, ASIRT said the officer acted reasonably when he fired a single round at a man who had thrown a knife toward police after reportedly chasing two people with an axe.
The July 24, 2022 incident began when Stettler RCMP responded to a 911 call about a disturbance in a neighbourhood where people had been yelling for nearly an hour.
As officers were leaving the area, a woman ran to one of the patrol vehicles & reported she & her boyfriend had just been chased by a man wielding an axe & threatening to kill them.
The officer drove to the alley & found the man standing near its entrance.
ASIRT said the officer got out of his vehicle with his service pistol drawn & told the man he was under arrest.
A second officer arrived moments later & drew a taser weapon.
Investigators said both officers saw a sheathed knife on the man’s hip & repeatedly told him not to reach for it.
The man ignored the commands, drew the knife & threw it toward them.
The first officer fired once, hitting the man near the left hip, while the second officer deployed his taser.
A knife was found a few feet in front of the officers. A yellow-handled axe was later located further down the alley.
According to ASIRT, multiple witnesses told investigators the man had threatened them minutes earlier.
Paramedics treated the man for a gunshot wound & taser probes, describing him as highly intoxicated.
The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team said the officer who fired his pistol cooperated with the investigation.
ASIRT concluded they believed the man posed a threat of serious harm, given reports he had chased civilians with an axe & was reaching for a knife during the confrontation.
The decision found the use of force was justified & no criminal charges were warranted.
Author: Landin Chambers
Landin Chambers is a news reporter for Hometown Media Stettler. He has a background in broadcast news, with previous roles in Prince George, Red Deer and Calgary. You may also see him as a cameraman for the Stettler Wildcats and Stettler Imperials. Have a story idea? Email: lchambers@htproductionsmedia.ca
