Calgary police officer’s use of force in 2023 fatal shooting ‘reasonable’: ASIRT

Calgary police officers struggle with a man during an incident on Feb. 14, 2023. The man was then fatally shot. (Courtesy: ASIRT)

A Calgary police officer has been cleared in the fatal shooting of a man in February 2023, following an investigation by the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT).

Calgary police officers were called to a vacant commercial property around 4:19 a.m. on Feb. 14, 2023, for a complaint of a break-and-enter.

Officers arrived and searched the building, locating a man inside. When they asked him to show them his hands, he ran into a nearby washroom, ASIRT said in its investigation report.

After giving verbal commands for the man to exit the washroom, officers entered.

ASIRT said the man exited one of the bathroom stalls “with a large, pointed steel bar and charged towards the first officer who discharged his conductive energy weapon (CEW).”

When the CEW did not incapacitate the man, one of the other officers fired five rounds from his pistol, hitting the man.

Officers provided medical attention at the scene before EMS arrived a short time later, ASIRT said.

The man succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Following an autopsy, the medical examiner determined the man’s cause of death was blood loss due to his gunshot wounds.

Toxicology showed he had fentanyl and methamphetamine in his system at the time of the incident.

ASIRT interviewed the man’s mother, who said he was diagnosed with schizophrenia in 2008 or 2009.

“Prior to this incident, AP had admitted to her that he was taking fentanyl and was not taking his medication for schizophrenia,” ASIRT said.

The officer who discharged their CEW said he was involved in a physical struggle with the man and was hit in the back of the head with the bar.

The subject officer, who fired his gun, told ASIRT he believed the bar was a machete and the man was trying to kill the other officer.

ASIRT noted all the officers involved were wearing body-worn cameras, which provided investigators a look at what happened before, during and after the shooting.

After assessing the evidence, ASIRT said the officer was lawfully placed and acting properly to conduct his duties.

“There is no evidence to support any belief that any officer engaged in any unlawful or unreasonable conduct that would give rise to an offence,” the ASIRT report reads.

“While the death of AP is unfortunate, the force used by SO was proportionate, necessary and reasonable in all the circumstances.”

ASIRT said the investigation is complete and the file has been concluded.