The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) says a man shot to death by RCMP officers in Gleichen, Alta. last week was in possession of a “homemade weapon” at the time.
The shooting happened at about 4 a.m. on Thursday as two officers were conducting a traffic stop.
In a Monday news release, ASIRT said the officers found the vehicle parked facing the wrong way along Haskayne Avenue. As they approached the vehicle, officers saw a man in the driver’s seat who “initially appeared to be sleeping or unconscious.”
“As members tried to rouse the man, a confrontation occurred that resulted in one of the members discharging his service pistol.”
The man, identified by ASIRT as a 26-year-old Morley resident, died at the scene.
ASIRT said he had a weapon “made to resemble a shotgun-type firearm” in his possession.
“Further investigation will be done to determine its functionality and what, if any, role it may have played in the incident,” ASIRT said.
The hamlet of Gleichen is located about 80 kilometres east of Calgary.