The Alberta Serious Response Team (ASIRT) is asking anyone who witnessed an officer-involved shooting in the community of Dover to come forward. The request includes a specific appeal for any video that was taken at the scene.
Police arrived in the area of 30 Avenue and 36 Street N.E. at around 7 p.m. Thursday for reports of a stolen vehicle driven by a man.
Officers on scene had called in the HAWCS helicopter to assist them. While they were waiting for the chopper to arrive, police said the stolen vehicle drove into an alley in the 3800 block of 30 Avenue S.E.
“Officers requested additional units to assist with a traffic stop, but located the stolen vehicle – a Honda Civic –in a lane while waiting for back-up to arrive,” ASIRT said in statement Friday.
The police watchdog said when officers pulled up beside the Civic in a police car, it “reversed and struck the left front side of the police cruiser.”
ASIRT said one officer went to the Civic’s driver’s side window to talk to the man and reached into the car to try to put it in park.
The statement said an unspecified “altercation” then occurred, during which the man put the Civic in motion while the police officer’s upper body was still inside the car.
“Ultimately, the officer was dislodged from the moving vehicle,” ASIRT said.
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ASIRT said while the altercation unfolded, a second officer went to the passenger side of the Civic as it moved and fired his gun.
The bullet hit the driver, who lost control of the car and crashed into a garbage bin. The suspect was taken into custody when more officers arrived on scene.
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The suspect, who ASIRT said is 20 years old, remained in hospital in stable condition as of Friday afternoon after suffering “serious” injuries, according to the investigative body.
The officer was treated for minor injuries but has since been released from hospital.
Investigators are asking anyone who witnessed the incident and/or took video to contact ASIRT at 403-592-4306.
With a file from Phil Heidenreich