An Edmonton police officer shot and killed a robbery suspect early Sunday morning after her male partner began struggling with the man, according to an investigator.
Just before 2 a.m., two patrol officers were flagged down by a woman who said she’d been robbed in an area near the city’s downtown.
Clif Purvis, a spokesman for the government agency investigating the incident, said the robbery victim directed the officers to two suspects — a 37-year-old man and a woman.
As they moved to try and arrest the two suspects outside an apartment building, the man started to struggle with the male police officer, he said.
“The police officer with him fired two shots from her police service pistol.
The male robbery suspect was struck two times, once in the chest, once in the hip.”
There were unconfirmed reports that the 37-year-old suspect may have made a grab for the male officer’s gun.
Purvis, who is executive director of the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team, wouldn’t confirm that, but said that’s one of the things they’ll be investing.
The two officers administered first aid until paramedics arrived and it appears they got some of the man’s blood on them.
The suspect was taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Next of kin are still being notified, so police didn’t immediately release the dead man’s name.
“The police officers who were involved in this incident were also treated at a local hospital for possible blood contamination.
“They are at this time reported to be otherwise uninjured,” Purvis said.
The female officer who fired the shots had been on the job for about a year, while her male partner was a 10-year veteran, Purvis said.
The agency, which investigates serious incidents involving police, is attempting to find witnesses to the incident and is questioning the female suspect who was also taken into custody.