ROCKY MOUNTAIN HOUSE, Alta. — Alberta's police watchdog is investigating the death of a man who was shot by a Mountie on a First Nation reserve.
The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) says the 24-year-old man was shot Saturday on the O'Chiese First Nation about 50 kilometres northwest of Rocky Mountain House.
Investigators say RCMP were called to the reserve after a complaint of a disturbance at a residence.
ASIRT says the individual, who had outstanding warrants, slammed the door on the officers who then returned to their vehicles and waited to obtain judicial authorization to enter the home.
Investigators say video shows the man emerging from the home an hour later carrying an axe.
ASIRT says there was a confrontation that resulted in one officer firing several rounds from his service pistol that hit the man, who fell to the ground and was pronounced dead.
ASIRT’s mandate is to investigate when police are involved in the serious injury or death of anyone, as well as serious or sensitive allegations of police misconduct.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 6, 2021.
The Canadian Press
Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version said the man who was shot was Indigenous. This has not been confirmed.
