At 11:42 p.m. on Dec. 21, the Calgary Police Service received a 911 call about a man with a sword in a parkade on Varsity Estates Circle NW. Officers arrived on scene at 11:49 p.m. and located the man, who still had the sword.
The man then moved into a mechanical room and barricaded himself inside. Police officers spoke to the man and, after some time, deployed a pepper spray fogger into the mechanical room.
The man eventually exited the room, holding the sword, and a confrontation between the man and officers occurred at 1:55 a.m. Multiple officers discharged less-lethal baton launchers at the man. One officer discharged his firearm, striking the man and causing him to fall to the ground.
A police service dog moved the man away from the sword. Officers and a paramedic then provided first aid to the man, and an ambulance took him to hospital with serious injuries.
Investigators located a sword on scene. There was significant damage to the mechanical room where the man had barricaded himself.
ASIRT’s investigation will examine the uses of force. No additional information will be released.
As part of its ongoing investigation, ASIRT is continuing efforts to identify people who may have witnessed aspects of the confrontation between the man and police. ASIRT is asking anyone who may have been in the area and may have witnessed these events and/or may have video to contact investigators at 403-592-4306.
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.
This release is distributed by the Government of Alberta on behalf of the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team.