UPDATE: On Sept. 6, 2024, ASIRT released the findings from its investigation into the case. The police watchdog found that the suspect’s actions with the vehicle he was driving “could have caused serious injury or death” and that the police officer responding by “firing his handgun once was proportionate, necessary and reasonable. ASIRT concluced “there are no reasonable grounds to believe that an offence was committed” by police in this incident. You can read the report in its entirety by clicking here.
The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team has been called in to investigate an incident in Cold Lake Friday morning.
Shortly after 10 a.m. on Jan. 22, RCMP were called to a break and enter near the hamlet of Ardmore, about 35 kilometres southwest of Cold Lake.
A news release said that after RCMP arrived on scene, “an interaction occurred” that led to one of the officers discharging their service firearm.
On Monday, ASIRT said when officers arrived on scene, a Ford F-350 truck was backed into an open building on the property. As police vehicles approached the truck, a confrontation occurred. ASIRT said the F-350 collided with an occupied marked RCMP vehicle, and that’s when the RCMP member discharged a single round from his pistol.
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The driver of the F-350 continued past other police vehicles, drove through some bushes near the property’s exit and ended up stuck in a ditch.
ASIRT said the man driving the truck got out of the vehicle. He and a female passenger in the vehicle were taken into custody.
No one was injured but EMS was called to the scene.
Read more: No charges laid after officer fires pistol at another officer in Edmonton police training facility
ASIRT is investigating the circumstances that led to the officer shooting their weapon, while Cold Lake RCMP is investigating the break-and-enter incident.
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On Monday, police said their investigation determined the vehicle involved had been reported stolen.
The woman was released from custody without charges.
Wyatt James Will Whitford, 24 of Cold Lake, Alta., was charged with flight from police, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, assault with a weapon on a police officer, resisting arrest, two count of mischief, possession of stolen property, five counts of failing to comply, and possession of a controlled substance.
Whitford remains in custody and is scheduled to appear in Cold Lake Provincial Court on Jan. 27.
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