ASIRT clears officers involved in shooting death on Deerfoot Trail

CALGARY – No charges will be laid against the Calgary police officers who shot two people during a pursuit on Deerfoot Trail last year, killing one and critically injuring the other.

A 34-year-old driver and his 26-year-old female passenger were shot by police while travelling southbound near McKenzie Lake Boulevard S.E. on March 1, after their pickup truck rammed into police vehicles.

The driver was declared dead at the scene. The passenger, who had been shot in the face, was rushed to hospital.

The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) was later asked to investigate the incident and released the findings of their report on Friday.

During their investigation, the passenger told ASIRT investigators she held a dark object (a pair of sunglasses) in front of her and pointed it at the officers “to make police think she had a weapon so they would shoot her.” She told ASIRT she wanted to die to be “be with the driver.”

She told investigators the driver had been using methamphetamine, had been awake for days and was in the worst condition she had ever seen him. At the time of his death, he was on bail for “offences arising out of other similar dangerous encounters with both the RCMP and CPS.”

The incident began when officers responded to the area of Copperfield Boulevard S.E. at around 9:14 p.m. for reports of shots fired.

Arriving officers saw a dark grey Ford F350 make a U-turn on 130 Avenue S.E. before fleeing eastbound.

HAWCS helicopter followed the vehicle as it drove on sidewalks, medians, curbs, pathways and through a fence. Police said the vehicle was travelling at high speeds, running red lights and making illegal turns.

According to investigators, the truck then rammed multiple vehicles causing injuries to innocent bystanders, before attempting to sideswipe a marked police vehicle.

It was at that point that the truck entered Deerfoot Trail and began travelling southbound, with officers following behind in several unmarked vehicles.

“While travelling southbound at a high rate of speed, the truck made a sudden sharp left turn, drove across the southbound lanes, and intentionally smashed into the concrete barrier dividing the north and southbound lanes,” ASIRT said.

As a result, the suspect vehicle ended up facing northbound in the southbound lanes.

While attempting to drive northbound, the truck was rammed repeatedly by police vehicles until it came to a stop in the southbound lane of Deerfoot Trail, south of the McKenzie Lake overpass.

It was at this time that two officers fired at the truck striking the 34-year-old driver. Officers then fired at the passenger when she held the dark object in front of her.

No firearm was found in the vehicle.

Police later identified the shooting victims as Jason Gary Roy, 34, and Ashley Jennifer Silver, 26.

After ASIRT completed an investigation of the shooting, the report was forwarded to the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service (ACPS).

“This finding in no way diminishes the sad fact that a family has lost their loved one. On behalf of ASIRT the Executive Director extends condolences to the family and friends of the deceased in relation to this tragic event.”