A man allegedly shot by RCMP in a confrontation at Maskwacis died in hospital on Saturday.
Alberta Serious Incident Response Team is investigating the circumstances around the shooting that happened last Thursday afternoon at Samson Cree Nation.
Maskwacis RCMP got a call about 1:25 p.m. regarding a man firing a gun in a rural area on Samson Cree Nation.
Police sent to the area and at around 2 p.m. one of them saw a man carrying a rifle and walking down a rural road near the intersection of Range Road 250 and Township Road 442.
A second officer, coming from the opposite direction, arrived soon after in his police vehicle.
The suspect walked toward the vehicle, pointing the rifle upward. He stopped as the officer approached him on foot with his firearm drawn, said RCMP.
“The male then pointed the rifle in the officer’s direction and, at approximately 2:04 p.m., the officer discharged his firearm, striking the male. The male fell to the ground shortly after,” said ASIRT in a news release on Monday.
Officers provided first aid until emergency medical services (EMS) attended. EMS transported the suspect to a hospital in Edmonton, where he died on Saturday.
A rifle was located at the scene.
ASIRT’s investigation will examine the use of force. No additional information will be released.
As part of its ongoing investigation, ASIRT is continuing efforts to identify people who may have witnessed aspects of the confrontation between the man and police. ASIRT is asking anyone who may have been in the area and may have witnessed these events and/or may have video to contact investigators at 780-644-1483.
ASIRT’s mandate is to effectively, independently and objectively investigate incidents involving Alberta’s police that have resulted in serious injury or death to any person, as well as serious or sensitive allegations of police misconduct.