WATCH ABOVE: While we know what Norman Raddatz looks like, few other details are available. Vinesh Pratap pieces together what we found.
EDMONTON – Nearly 24 hours after a shooting in west Edmonton that left one police officer dead and another injured, many questions remain about the gunman.
On Tuesday morning, police identified him as 42-year-old Norman Walter Raddatz. His body was found in the ashes of his home, set ablaze in the wake of the shooting.
Police said he had been bullying an Edmonton family and was the subject of a lengthy hate crimes investigation.
Several police officers came to his Callingwood-area home Monday evening to arrest him.
“There was an arrest warrant for bylaw and he was being served with some documentation on the criminal harassment,” explained Edmonton Police Chief Rod Knecht.
Raddatz wouldn’t let them in, and to get inside, police needed what’s known as a Feeney warrant. According to sources, that took an hour.
READ MORE: A look at the EPS Hate Crimes unit that Const. Daniel Woodall worked for
Police got the warrant and took a battering ram to the door.
“Once they hit the door three times and broke it open, he opened fire,” said next-door neighbour Ryan Colton.
Raddatz fired dozens of bullets from a high-powered rifle, killing Const. Daniel Woodall, wounding Sgt. Jason Harley and peppering neighbouring homes.
READ MORE: Edmonton police Const. Daniel Woodall, 35, killed in west-end shooting
“I kind of expected something to happen, but not to this scale,” Colton said. “I really didn’t know what he was going to do. I know he wasn’t doing well. He was suffering bad depression.
“No one expects this kind of outcome.”
According to court documents, Raddatz owned a business called North Summit Mechanical, based out of the west-end home.
A real-estate listing showed the house being sold for $400,000 “as is, where is.”
Court documents also show Raddatz was being sued by the Royal Bank of Canada. There was an outstanding mortgage of $300,000 and Raddatz had until May 20 to pay.
Neighbours say Raddatz lived alone. Court documents show he was divorced and paying support for two children.
Knecht said the last time police saw Raddatz was inside the burning home. While no one has been arrested, Knecht said he believes the risk to the public is over.
“A body was found late last evening in the basement of a burned out home,” the chief said. “An autopsy is scheduled for today to determine the identity of the remains and the exact cause of death.”
With files from Vinesh Pratap, Global News
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