Video has surfaced of a police chase during which two officers fired shots, resulting in the death of a 27-year-old man, in the city bordering Alberta and Saskatchewan.
Lloydminster RCMP responded to reports of a stolen truck on Sunday around 1 p.m, when owner called police to report seeing the vehicle being driven around Lloydminster.
Officers located the vehicle just west of the border city and tried to pull it over. The truck fled the scene and an officer fired a shot.
READ MORE: Alberta’s police watchdog investigating fatal officer-involved shooting in Lloydminster
The chase continued and in a second confrontation around 2 p.m., another officer discharged his pistol, killing the 27-year-old driver. The woman in the passenger seat wasn’t injured and was taken into custody.
Some community members are applauding RCMP for how they dealt with the incident and for keeping the city safe. Amanda Sweeney captured part of the police chase on video.
“We noticed RCMP are behind them, per se, not right on their tail and I took that as possibly they were looking for the safety of everyone else,” Sweeney said.
Lloydminster Mayor Gerald Aalbers said crime is always an issue in the city, but this incident was alarming.
“It certainly sends a message to the community that there are issues within the community that challenges us,” Aalbers said.
“We don’t like to see the RCMP discharge their weapons. They are there as a last resort and it was a last resort, I understand.”
Two officers were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
READ MORE: ASIRT investigating after officer-involved shooting in Lloydminster
The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) is investigating. It said it will focus on the actions of the police during the incident, while RCMP is responsible for investigating the theft and other circumstances leading up to the incident.
Investigators are asking witnesses or anyone with video footage to call ASIRT at 780-644-1483.
ASIRT investigates incidents involving Alberta police officers that result in serious injury or death to any person as well as serious or sensitive allegations of police misconduct.
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