The discharge of a firearm at a person by a police officer is presumed to be a serious incident pursuant to the Police Act and its related protocols, even if no injuries resulted from it.

On that day at about 9:35 a.m., several members of the Cold Lake RCMP were dispatched to a rural property near Ardmore, in response to a report of a break and enter in progress. When members arrived at the location, a Ford F-350 truck was observed backed into an open building on the property. As the police vehicles approached the F-350, a confrontation occurred during which the F-350 collided with an occupied marked RCMP vehicle, and one RCMP member discharged a single round from his service pistol. The F-350 continued past other police vehicles and drove through some bushes near the property exit before ultimately becoming stuck in a ditch. At that point, the male driver exited the vehicle, and both he and the female passenger were taken into custody without incident. No one was injured as a result of the shooting.

ASIRT’s investigation will focus on the circumstances surrounding the incident and the officer’s discharge of a firearm. The RCMP maintains responsibility for the investigation into the two occupants of the vehicle, including the reported break and enter. As ASIRT’s investigation is underway, no further information will be released at this time.

ASIRT’s mandate is to effectively, independently and objectively investigate incidents involving police that have resulted in serious injury or death to any person, as well as serious or sensitive allegations of police misconduct.

ASIRT

This release is distributed by the Government of Alberta on behalf of the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team.