Alberta RCMP are investigating after a suspect in Evansburg sustained minor injuries while being shot at by an RCMP officer after he pointed a gun at police.
Police said late Saturday night on Range Road 102 A north of Highway 16, an Evansburg RCMP officer found a vehicle that was stuck – it had earlier been reported stolen.
The officer walked up to the vehicle and tried to arrest the people inside, but the driver got out and pointed a gun at the officer, according to police.
The officer shot his gun and the suspect got back in the stolen car, police said.
The RCMP said officers from nearby detachments were called to the scene and surrounded the car and the two people in the car eventually surrendered to police and were taken into custody. No officers were injured.
Alberta RCMP’s serious crimes and general investigation sections are investigating the shooting, while normally the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT), an independent body, investigates police-involved shootings.
“As soon as we became aware of this incident, we immediately notified the director of law enforcement and initiated our internal review process. The director deemed the incident to be “in scope” for ASIRT, however, assigned the investigation to the RCMP, with ASIRT oversight,” RCMP said in a news release.
RCMP said its internal review process has already started and it will cooperate fully with ASIRT.