COLD LAKE - The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding an officer-involved shooting that resulted in the death of a 28-year-old man who was wanted on outstanding warrants and "had been previously flagged for violence toward police."
According to a media release provided by ASIRT, on June 20, at about 6:38 p.m., Cold Lake RCMP received a call requesting police attend a location on Twp. Rd. 622 between Range Roads 442 and 443. The caller reported coming across a young woman on the road claiming she had been assaulted by a man who took her vehicle keys before departing on foot and abandoning the vehicle in the middle of the road.
The female spoke to police and provided the suspect's name. She explained to police she had been giving the man, who was known to her, a ride. She claimed he was acting strangely and began choking her dog, attempting to kill it.
The woman was able to exit the vehicle and remove her dog, but the suspect had struck her, she told officers. She believed the man had consumed methamphetamine and was not in possession of any weapons.
The caller said the man was still in the area but had "proceeded on foot down a cut line," the media release explains.
Two Cold Lake RCMP officers responded to the call and requested the assistance of Police Dog Services (PDS). Prior to arriving on scene, RCMP were informed the man had outstanding warrants and "had been previously flagged for violence toward police."
Just after 7 p.m., RCMP arrived at the location and began tracking the suspect with PDS. He was located near a fenced oil company compound.
"A confrontation occurred between RCMP members, the Police Services Dog (PSD) and the man, during which the PSD was stabbed and one RCMP member discharged his service firearm, striking the man," outlines the release.
RCMP members provided first aid and request Emergency Medical Services (EMS), who upon their arrival, assumed care of the man.
He was pronounced dead at the scene of the incident.
No police officers were injured during the confrontation; however, the police dog sustained several stab wounds.
A knife was recovered from the scene.
ASIRT continues to investigate the incident.
"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."
