ASIRT investigating after fatal shooting suspect also shot by RCMP during arrest near Bonnyville

Alberta’s police watchdog has been asked to investigate after a man suspected in a fatal shooting north of Edmonton was himself shot by Mounties when they tried to arrest him.

Bonnyville RCMP responded to the initial shooting around 7:15 p.m. Wednesday on Kehewin Cree First Nation.

Police arrived to find a 54-year-old man from the First Nation had died.

The conflict with police happened about three hours later.

RCMP said officers from Bonnyville, along with a canine unit out of Cold Lake, were outside a home on the First Nation looking for a 22-year-old man suspected in the fatal shooting when he came outside.

A confrontation occurred, during which time two officers fired their guns, ASIRT said in an update on March 14, adding the man was struck multiple times.

RCMP said officers on scene provided first aid until EMS arrived.

The suspect was taken to a nearby hospital, and from there airlifted by STARS Air Ambulance to an Edmonton hospital with serious injuries.

The RCMP news release issued Thursday evening did not say what condition the man was in. An update from ASIRT after the weekend said he remained in hospital in stable condition.

No officers were injured, police said. ASIRT said a firearm was found outside the home near where the man had been.

The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) will look into the police shooting, while the RCMP major crimes unit will continue to investigate the other fatal shooting. On Friday, RCMP said an autopsy will be scheduled in the near future.

ASIRT is called upon to investigate serious and sensitive matters involving police in Alberta.

Kehewin Cree First Nation is about 230 kilometres northeast of Edmonton near Bonnyville.