A 32-year-old man was killed by Alberta RCMP after fleeing from police, uttering threats and getting into a confrontation with officers, according to the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team.
RCMP advised on the night of Sunday, Aug. 30 that Highway 16 at Range Road 73 near Entwistle was closed in both directions for a “police incident.”
The following day, the RCMP released more information, confirming a fatal shooting involving police had taken place.
RCMP said that Sunday afternoon, police had been given an alert to be on the lookout for a man believed to be armed with a gun following a domestic aggravated assault in Onion Lake, Sask.
In an update released Wednesday, ASIRT said RCMP officers found the suspect vehicle at about 8:30 p.m. that evening and tried to stop the driver, who fled the scene.
As officers chased the vehicle, they deployed a spike strip in an attempt to stop it, but the vehicle kept going after driving over the belt. Officers were also able to reach the driver by phone and tried to de-escalate the situation, ASIRT said.
“However, the driver refused to surrender, and made several threats regarding the use of a firearm,” ASIRT said.
Just east of Entwistle, RCMP hit the suspect vehicle with a police vehicle, ultimately bringing it to a stop. Following that, ASIRT said a confrontation happened between the driver and members of the RCMP Emergency Response Team on scene.
“During that confrontation, three members of ERT discharged their service firearms, striking the man,” ASIRT said.
An RCMP medic gave first aid to the suspect, but he was pronounced dead at the scene when EMS arrived.
A .22-calibre loaded rifle was found at the scene and is now in the hands of ASIRT investigators.
Anyone who was in the area of Highway 16 and Range Road 73 on Aug. 30 who witnessed the incident, or has information or video related to it, is asked to contact ASIRT at 780-644-1483.
“As ASIRT’s investigation is underway, no further information will be released at this time,” ASIRT said.
ASIRT investigates incidents involving Alberta police officers that result in serious injury or death to a person, or that leads to serious or sensitive allegations of misconduct.
Entwistle is about 90 kilometres west of Edmonton in Parkland County.
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