The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team has taken over the investigation into the death of a man who attempted to cross the border into Canada but resulted in a car chase across several southern Alberta communities.
RCMP Assistant Commissioner Lisa Moreland says a U.S. national tried to enter the country at the Coutts Port around 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday but fled north after being directed to the secondary inspection area. Moreland says police departments including the RCMP and Lethbridge Police Service were contacted and made aware of the incident. Moreland says the suspect vehicle drove through a number of Southern Alberta communities, including Lethbridge and Raymond, before RCMP stopped the vehicle using a tire deflation device south of Milk River.
Moreland says the man appeared to have a gun when he fled police on foot. RCMP officers along with members of the RCMP police dog services searched for the man, who was found deceased after sustaining what Moreland described as a self-inflicted firearm-related injury.
“This event speaks to the dangers our officers and CBSA officers face at the border,” Moreland says. “It also shows just how quickly we can respond to our border when events of this nature occur.”
The day before this incident Moreland says nine people, including five children, were caught trying to enter the country illegally on foot. All nine were taken into custody under the Customs Act and processed by the Canadian Border Service Agency.
The Assistant Commissioner has also issued a warning to anyone who is planning on illigally crossing into also issued a warning to anybody who is planning to cross the border into Canada illegally, “don’t”.
“We have seen first-hand heartbreaking situations where the lives of adults and children have been lost in an attempt at crossing the border,” Moreland says. “You’re putting your life at risk and you should not attempt under any circumstances.”
