Teen handed over weapons and ran away before fatal police shooting in Wetaskiwin: ASIRT

Alberta’s police watchdog has released its initial findings as it investigates the fatal police shooting of a teenage boy in central Alberta.

Hoss Lightning, 15, was fatally shot by two RCMP officers in Wetaskiwin in the early morning hours of Friday, Aug. 30 after calling 911 for help because he believed he was being followed by people who wanted to kill him, according to both investigators and his family.

The teen was from Samson Cree Nation, one of four First Nation communities that make up Maskwacis in central Alberta. Lightning died in the city of Wetaskiwin, which is just down the road from Maskwacis, about 70 kilometres south of Edmonton.

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The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) has released more details on what happened that night.

The 911 call came in just before 12:30 a.m. About 15 minutes later, ASIRT said an officer from the Wetaskiwin detachment found the teen near 56th Street and 37A Avenue.

The officer’s in-car video system captured both audio and video of the interaction, ASIRT said. Lightning and the officer spoke about the situation and ASIRT said the teen handed over a machete and knife that he had in his possession and provided information to the officer.

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ASIRT said the officer determined the teen was “at risk.” It did not elaborate on why, but Lightning had been reported missing by RCMP in Ponoka a few weeks prior.

The police watchdog said the officer attempted to apprehend the teen and search him, as well as his backpack.

“While initially co-operative, the youth fled before being apprehended, running a short distance away,” the update on Thursday said.

ASIRT said the initial officer followed Lightning in his cruiser and was joined by other Mounties to help on the call.

ASIRT said those officers also had their in-car video system activated, which captured the incident as it unfolded.

“The youth was located a short distance away in a field. The officers approached and got out of their vehicles. At this point a confrontation occurred and two officers discharged their firearms,” ASIRT said, adding that Lightning was hit and fell to the ground.

He was treated and taken to hospital, where he died.

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The teen’s family released an image of Lightning, in which he is holding a photo of his late grandfather Hoss Saddleback, for whom he was named.

Earlier this week, the Lightning and Saddleback families said they condemn the officers’ actions to the fullest extent.

View image in full screen

They called for residents to come together to stand up against injustice, to honour Lightning, and to work together to “repair the damage that has been done and seek out new, progressive ways for a better future.”

Further details on the fatal shooting will come out when ASIRT concludes its investigation. A timeline for that process has not been released — in recent years, some ASIRT files have taken two or more years to wrap up.

While ASIRT is investigating, the RCMP said it was also doing an internal review to gather a full account of what took place, including police training, policy and response.

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