By Josh Hall | @Vancan19

stemming from april 2019 incident

Former Sylvan Lake RCMP officer charged with aggravated assault

Jul 29, 2025 | 2:55 PM

A retired RCMP officer in central Alberta has been charged with aggravated assault.

The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) shared Tuesday that charges have been laid against Geordie Erickson, who was with Sylvan Lake RCMP at the time of the incident.

ASIRT notes that six years ago, they were assigned to investigate an incident which occurred April 6, 2019.

The incident involved an RCMP-involved shooting in Eckville, west of Red Deer, near Sylvan Lake.

It’s said, by ASIRT, that during a stolen property investigation, the officer shot an occupant of a vehicle in the cheek.

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“The evidence gathered during ASIRT’s investigation provided reasonable grounds to believe that an offence had been committed. As is required by the Police Act, the investigation was forwarded to the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service (ACPS) to determine whether the evidence met the standard for prosecution,” ASIRT writes in a release.

“Following a review of the investigation and having been advised that the ACPS was of the opinion that the evidence met its standard for prosecution, ASIRT Executive Director Michael Ewenson determined that the involved officer should be charged.”

The charge against Mr. Erickson was laid July 28, 2025.

Erickson was released on an appearance notice and is scheduled for first appearance on Aug. 28 in the Red Deer Court of Justice.

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READ MORE: ASIRT investigating police shooting incident in Eckville

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A release from ASIRT at the time of the incident noted that an RCMP officer had responded around 8:15 to the reported location of stolen oilfield property at the rear of a strip of businesses on Eckville’s north side.

According to ASIRT, police arrived to find a male suspect asleep in a truck — one of four found at the location. In the truck containing the suspect, officers observed a sledgehammer and large canister of bear spray on the front seat, police say.

The member checked the licence plate number which came back as registered to a different vehicle. The officer then laid a spike belt out and waited for backup, but a confrontation ensued between the suspect and the member.

The member then discharged their pistol.

The suspect was taken to hospital with a single serious gunshot wound that was non-life-threatening. The member was not hurt.

The Ford F250 in which the suspect was sleeping was determined to have been stolen around five days prior from Saskatoon, and the licence plate was also stolen.

ASIRT investigates 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.