EDMONTON – The Edmonton Police Service (EPS) is investigating after an officer-involved shooting in north Edmonton early Saturday morning.
Officers responded to a weapons complaint in the area of 118 Avenue and 106 Street after receiving a call from Edmonton Transit just before 2:00 a.m.
Police say they arrived on scene and located a man who appeared to have a handgun. The suspect was confrontational and refused to drop his weapon, according to police.
“Members tried to engage the individual,” said EPS Inspector Chad Tawfik. “He was not responding to verbal direction to drop the weapon and as a result, one member discharged their firearm striking the individual.”
Get breaking National news
The suspect suffered minor injuries. He was treated in hospital and taken into police custody. Charges are now pending against the man.
“There was an item recovered, and it definitely appeared to be a firearm. So they’re looking at that right now. That’ll all be part of the investigation – determining what his motivation was, what led up to this situation, and why he wouldn’t comply with the officers’ instructions,” Tawfik said Saturday morning.
The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT), which normally investigates officer-involved shootings, was notified. After an initial review of the incident, ASIRT has instructed the EPS to conduct the investigation.
“It’s really their decision, in regards to whether we should be leading the investigation or they take it,” Tawfik explained.
“I can say we have, sort of, two streams of investigation going on. On around the occurrence – the criminal act that might have occurred there, and the second around the use of force.”
- Several Toronto police officers arrested in organized crime investigation
- Toronto officers allegedly leaked info to criminals who carried out shootings: investigators
- Toronto police chief rips officers accused of corruption. Here’s what he said
- Manitoba RCMP issue dangerous person alert after woman’s abduction
Comments