WARNING: The video in this story may be disturbing to some viewers.
The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team has been called in to investigate after a man carrying a firearm was shot by Edmonton police on Monday.
Global News has learned the man is Glenn “Occo” Ironchild, an Edmonton father with a lengthy criminal history that includes convictions for assault with a weapon, assault with a weapon causing bodily harm, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose and uttering threats.
Edmonton police said they were called at around 11:30 a.m. to a weapons complaint in the area of 137 Avenue and 50 Street.
Acting Deputy Chief Darren Derko said EPS dispatch received at least seven calls about a man carrying a weapon.
“One caller indicated that they observed the male loading a weapon. Police officers were immediately dispatched to the scene,” Derko said.
“Two officers saw a male pointing what appeared to be a long-barrel firearm at bystanders in the area. When the male observed the arriving police officers, he turned and pointed the firearm at them.
“Shots were subsequently fired by police and the male was struck.”
Derko said police performed “emergency First Aid” on the man, who was then taken to hospital with undisclosed injuries.
“As far as I know the victim is still alive,” Derko said at a 2 p.m. news conference.
A spokesperson with Edmonton Transit said a bus was hit by a stray bullet. There were passengers on the bus at the time but no one was injured.
Watch below: EPS Acting Deputy Chief Darren Derko said officers responded to a man carrying a weapon in northeast Edmonton. When the man pointed the gun at police, he was shot, Derko said.
The intersection was shut down by police late Monday morning. At least three police vehicles and one ambulance were on scene just before noon.
Corinne Gerritse was driving in the area at around 11:30 a.m. She sat at the lights for about three green/red cycles before she saw what she said appeared to be a rifle.
“There was vehicles parked everywhere and cops everywhere. I just saw the top of a rifle at first with a guy going across really quickly,” she explained.
“I seen the top of a long gun go across in front of the cars in the intersection and then cop cars come driving in from all different directions and cops jump out of their vehicles very quickly, start pointing their guns towards the area. An ambulance also during that time had pulled up and parked right in the middle of the intersection.
“Then gunfire, gunshots started to go off – about six or eight shots maybe – and then everybody started coming in closer.”
Gerritse said she was rerouted away from the scene at that point. She made her way to Victoria Trail and back onto the Yellowhead east when she saw an ambulance and two or three police vehicles come rushing through the area with their lights and sirens on.
WATCH ABOVE: For the second in time in less than a week, a man has been shot by Edmonton police. In this case, witnesses say the man was waving a gun at a busy intersection. Shallima Maharaj reports. WARNING: Graphic and disturbing content.
“It looked like the same ambulance that was at the intersection of the incident and the cops were blocking intersections at every intersection that we came up to. I was right behind them then so I’m guessing they were rushing somebody to the hospital.”
She said it was a rather frightening ordeal.
“It got my heart pumping for sure.”
Jonathan Foss was driving in the area when he saw a man walk into the middle of the intersection with a case. Foss said he saw the man open the case but wasn’t able to see what the man pulled out of it.
“Terrifying. Vehicles were just going around him trying to avoid the situation and as I got back here you just hear, ‘pop, pop, pop’ and buddy’s down on the ground and yeah, pretty scary.”
Watch below: ASIRT has been called in after an Edmonton police officer shot a man carrying a firearm in the north end Monday. The video below is raw video from the scene and video showing a person being loaded into an ambulance.
When Global News arrived on scene, a white hat and what appeared to be a rifle could be seen on the ground in the middle of the intersection.
Derko said two police officers have been placed on mandatory administrative leave, as per EPS policy and both have been offered support.
“The first officer involved is a 10-year member of EPS and completed his annual firearms qualification in June of 2016. He is also a police training officer, which means that he has the skills and responsibilities to train new officers,” Derko said.
“His male partner at the time is a six-and-a-half-month recruit and he did not discharge his firearm.”
Derko said the incident could have been much worse.
“We are grateful that no bystanders were injured.”
This is the second police shooting in Edmonton in less than a week.
On Thursday, a 55-year-old man was fatally shot by an Edmonton police officer in the city’s southwest.
Police were called to the Hodgson neighbourhood at around 1:45 p.m. Thursday after two separate 911 calls reporting a possibly impaired driver.
A six-year veteran of the Edmonton Police Service pulled over the vehicle near Hollands Landing, where the officer and the driver being pulled over got out of their vehicles.
Deputy Chief Kevin Brezinski said Thursday an “encounter” occurred which led to the officer shooting the driver. The officer and others performed CPR until EMS arrived, however, the suspect was pronounced dead at the scene.
READ MORE: ASIRT investigates after driver shot and killed by police in southwest Edmonton
The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team said Friday a large hunting knife was found near the victim, who was identified as Vitaly Savin.
READ MORE: Man fatally shot by Edmonton police identified
ASIRT was also called in to investigate Thursday’s fatal shooting.
ASIRT investigates any incident involving serious injury or death that may have been the result of the actions of a police officer in Alberta.
Anyone who may have witnessed the incident, or has photos or video of it, is asked to contact the EPS at 780-423-4567.