A man is dead and an RCMP officer was wounded after a shooting at a Blackfalds home ended in a police chase and a shootout on a highway south of Edmonton.
RCMP say officers responded at about 8 a.m. to a firearms complaint in Blackfalds.
They say shots were fired from the home toward RCMP vehicles, and a woman who was in the area was shot and taken to hospital with serious injuries.
Mounties say a man fled in a car and headed north on the QEII Highway.
Police used a tire-deflation device, and there was a brief pursuit, before the car crossed the median and drove the wrong way into traffic.
When it came to a stop, police say there was a confrontation that led to the death of the 27-year-old driver and a serious injury to an officer.
Chad Cammock was driving south on the QEII when he saw a police vehicle following the black car on Wednesday.
“I noticed he’s on his rims — this has gotta be a cop chase,” he said.
He said police vehicles surrounded the car and officers pulled out their guns.
“I hear pop, pop, pop, pop, pop, pop, pop, pop, pop, pop,” he said. “I thought, ‘holy smokes, they’re shooting.”’
Cammock said it happened quickly, and he started recording on his phone after the shooting stopped.
“It literally happened in about five seconds,” he said. “There had to be 30 to 40 rounds.
“I don’t know how many were cops, because obviously that guy started shooting.”
Cammock said he saw police pull a man out of the car, and an officer appeared to be injured.
“The cop that pulled up and bumped into the car, you could tell he was injured,” he said. “He was on his knees in that video and bent over. The cops were coming to him. He was hit.
“You could see by his cruiser, there was a little bit of blood pooled up there where he got shot.”
Cammock said the officer was able to get up and walk with others to another spot.
Alberta’s police watchdog said it is investigating the officer-related shooting, but declined to provide further details.
Wednesday morning, the Town of Blackfalds told residents to lock their doors and stay indoors.
Allen Dean, who lives at the corner of Briarwood Crescent and Lansdowne Avenue, said he woke up and went out for a cigarette a little after 8:30 a.m.
He said the streets were blocked off and there was a heavy police presence.
“There were at least four or five driving around, but in the back alley right outside our house, there was a police officer with what looked like an assault rifle (probably) guarding the main entrance,” he said.
“And my house is like right there.”
After the recent mass shooting in Nova Scotia, the incident seemed “freaky,” he said, adding he saw social media comments about gunshots, but he didn’t hear any.
“Usually, when this stuff goes on, people just say ‘stay away from the area,’ but they took a little more drastic measures of telling everyone to stay in their basements, it seemed real.”
With files from The Canadian Press
UPDATE: The RCMP has informed us that there is no further risk to the public but are asking that residents continue to stay away from the area as the police investigation continues.
— Town of Blackfalds (@blackfalds) May 6, 2020
Residents are asked to avoid the Lansdowne and Briarwood area (Rolling Hills Neighbourhood) due to a police matter.
— Town of Blackfalds (@blackfalds) May 6, 2020
For residents of the area, police are advising that you lock your doors and stay in your basements.
We will notify the public when police have advised otherwise.
mamta.lulla@reddeeradvocate.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter
