At 3:36 a.m., Strathmore RCMP received a 911 call from the attendant at the Husky gas station on Ridge Road. The attendant told police that there was an agitated man inside the store who would not leave.

As shown on the surveillance video inside the store, two officers arrived at 3:43 a.m. and spoke to the man. The man remained inside the store and, at 4:20 a.m., the officers tried to arrest him. The man and the two officers struggled, and the officers used their conducted energy weapons on him. The officers then left the store to await backup. The man remained inside and began to self-harm and damage the store and its contents. By this time, the attendant had left the store and was not in danger.

At 4:38 a.m., the man left the store, carrying a hammer and a walking cane, and hit a marked RCMP vehicle with one of the objects. Officers deployed pepper spray at the man, and he went back into the store.

The man left the store again a few minutes later, encountering additional officers in marked police vehicles who arrived and stopped at the intersection near the gas station at 4:44 a.m. A confrontation occurred and two of the officers discharged their firearms, striking the man.

The man was treated by the officers and then emergency medical services. He was transported to hospital, where he died.

Investigators located a hammer near the police vehicles in the intersection.

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.

ASIRT

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