On March 9, the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) was directed to investigate the injury of a 22-year-old man on Kehewin First Nation earlier that day.
While investigating a homicide, Bonnyville Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers went to a residence on Kehewin First Nation.
The officers believed a suspect was inside and began to contain the residence.
The man then came out of the residence at approximately 10:30 p.m. holding a firearm. Officials and the suspect proceeded to engage in a confrontation in which multiple offers discharged their firearms. The man was struck multiple times.
EMS was called and transported the man to a nearby hospital with serious injuries. He was later moved to a hospital in the Edmonton area by air ambulance where he currently remains in stable condition.
A firearm was located outside the residence near where the man had been.
ASIRT’s investigation will examine the circumstances surrounding the use of force by officers. The RCMP retain the investigation of the homicide.
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.