Ford Edge with bullet holes circled in purple. (ASIRT)

By Sheldon Spackman

August 2020 INcident

‘Use of force justified’ in Red Deer officer-involved shooting, says ASIRT

Jul 19, 2024 | 12:38 PM

An investigation by the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) has determined there are no reasonable grounds to believe an offence was committed when a Red Deer RCMP officer fired their gun at an oncoming suspected stolen vehicle four years ago.

The report released by ASIRT July 19, 2024, indicates the officer involved was following his duty to investigate offences on Aug. 24, 2020, when he located a Ford Edge that morning, which he suspected was a stolen vehicle that had fled from police.

The report notes that when the suspect started driving toward the officer while the officer was in a small space, the officer’s duty to preserve life and safety was engaged.

The suspect, by driving toward the officer in a confined space, risked running him over and killing or seriously harming him. The officer, by firing his handgun five times at the suspect, striking her in the leg, intended to cause death or grievous bodily harm. ASIRT’s assistant executive director, Matthew Block, says these two actions were proportionate.

In the small space where the officer found himself, Block writes, there were no reasonable alternatives to the use of force. Trying to escape in any direction would have put the officer closer to the suspect’s vehicle or in its path. Block’s comments say there was no time to wait due to the small distance.

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The report reveals this was a very short encounter, with the time from the officer stepping out of his vehicle to the Ford Edge driving out of the area being eight seconds. The report says the officer’s use of force was necessary, and reasonable.

Block’s report finds the suspect was acting dangerously and there was no other logical conclusion than, she intended to run him over.

Related: ASIRT calling for witnesses to come forward in Red Deer officer-involved shooting

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