CALLING LAKE – A Calling Lake man is in hospital with serious, life-threatening injuries after an officer-involved shooting that took place in the community Aug. 26.
Athabasca RCMP responded to a report of a woman being shot in the M.D. of Opportunity hamlet, about 60 km north of Athabasca at approximately 7:46 p.m., where they learned the woman had already been transported to hospital, but found the man suspected of discharging the firearm that injured her less than an hour later, according to an RCMP media release received the afternoon of Aug. 27.
The woman was reported to be in stable condition at the time she was transported.
Police Dog Services and an emergency response team were dispatched to the scene, and a containment area was set up around the home. Contact was made with the suspect, as he exited and entered the residence several times before he was shot.
“At approximately 10:52 p.m., the suspect exited the residence and a confrontation occurred, which resulted in two RCMP officers discharging their service weapons. The suspect sustained serious, life-threatening injuries as a result of this incident. The suspect re-entered his residence and was subsequently followed and located by RCMP members,” stated the release.
“On-scene officers provided medical assistance and the suspect was transported to hospital where he is continuing to receive medical assistance. No RCMP officers sustained injuries.”
The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT), which handles incidents that involve officer-involved shootings, has taken over the investigation, which will take place alongside an internal RCMP review “to gather a full account of what took place during this incident.”
“The RCMP believes in processes that seek the facts and it’s important that processes taken to assess the actions of all those involved, including the police, are fair, transparent, and defendable,” the release went on to say. “RCMP training, policy, police response, and the duty status of the members involved will be subject to review.”
This is the second officer-involved shooting in Calling Lake in the last year.
On Sept. 19, 2020, Athabasca RCMP were called to an incident in the community, after reports that a man intended to become involved in a shoot-out with RCMP.
At about 1:32 a.m. on Sept. 20, the 51-year-old man emerged from the residence while carrying a firearm and began to walk down the road, according to another RCMP media release.
“At that time, a confrontation occurred with RCMP members during which one police officer discharged his service firearm, striking the man. RCMP provided first aid to the man until the arrival of EMS, who pronounced the man dead. A loaded lever-action .30-30 rifle and a spent shell casing were recovered from the scene of the confrontation.”
ASIRT is still investigating that incident.
