Alberta’ police watchdog has been called in to investigate after a man was sent to hospital with life-threatening injuries after an officer-involved shooting in Mayland Heights, Calgary police said Wednesday night.
According to police, officers responded to a “domestic-related call” at a residence in northeast Calgary at 4:15 p.m. Once they arrived, they said the suspect was already gone. Police did not disclose the address of the initial call to the media.
“He was later tracked to a home in the 500 block of Markerville Road N.E.,” police said in a news release. “Officers had information that the man might be armed.
“Several attempts were made to call out the suspect but were unsuccessful. At approximately 8:15 p.m., the suspect exited the garage. The matter continued to escalate resulting in the discharge of a service firearm.”
Sources told Global News the man allegedly threatened officers with a weapon believed to be a tool.
Police said the suspect, believed to be in his 30s, was then rushed to hospital. They said no officers were injured.
A significant police presence was visible in the Mayland Heights neighbourhood at about 9 p.m. on Wednesday night after an area resident told Global News she heard multiple gunshots and saw paramedics load a man onto a stretcher before he was taken away.
Tammy Weissgerber told Global News police officers had already been in an alley behind a home on Markerville Road N.E. before she heard the shots. After, she said she saw police officers with their guns drawn.
“I heard this bang, bang, bang, bang, bang – multiple shots,” Weissgerber said. “I went out on my deck and I could see… there was police officers standing behind everything.
“It was pretty alarming – like literally in my backyard, that’s where it happened,” she added. “I saw a number of police officers and I saw one police officer with what looked like his gun raised and he was saying over and over again, ‘Now calm down. Calm down.'”
Late Wednesday night, about 10 to 12 police cruisers could be seen parked in the streets and alleys by Markerville Road N.E. And Matheson Drive N.E. Markerville Road was closed off with police tape.
The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) will now investigate the police response.
Calgary police are asking anyone with information about the incident to call them at 403-266-1234 or to contact Crime Stoppers anonymously by phone at 1-800-222-8477 or online.
-With files from Tony Tighe
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