ASIRT called in to investigate officer-involved shooting in west Lethbridge

LETHBRIDGE — The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team has been called in to investigate after a man was shot by Lethbridge police Friday night.

At around 6:30 p.m., police were called to a report of a man with a knife at a Safeway store in the 500 block of University Drive. Officers found the man a short distance away.

After a confrontation between the man and police, the suspect was shot by police.

The suspect was taken to Chinook Regional Hospital where he underwent surgery for non-life-threatening.

The 17-year old man was still in hospital Saturday, with serious but not life-threatening injuries.

“Our officer’s actions tonight were consistent with our training,” said Lethbridge Police Chief Rob Davis.

The police officer was not injured.

ASIRT investigators confirmed that the man got the knife from behind the butcher counter while in the Safeway store.

ASIRT investigators spoke with some witnesses at the time of the officer-involved shooting but are asking any members of the public who were in the area at the time and may have seen the confrontation between the police and the man to contact police at at (403) 592-4306.

Police say in particular, the occupants of a newer red SUV are believed to have been in the area and in a good position to see the confrontation.