Alberta’s police watchdog has cleared an RCMP officer in the shooting of a man following a prolonged, high-risk chase that ended with the man’s death.
The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team said its investigation found the officer acted within the law and that the use of force was justified under the circumstances.
The incident began Feb. 4, 2025, when Canada Border Services Agency officers at the Coutts border crossing reported a man had entered Canada without completing a required secondary inspection.
Police were also informed the man was facing charges in the U.S., including allegations involving a stolen firearm and assaulting a peace officer.
Officers reported attempted to stop the suspect vehicle, but the driver sped away, triggering a pursuit that lasted about 90 minutes. Investigators said the man drove aggressively on winter roads, ignored repeated commands to pull over and at one point travelled in the wrong direction on a highway, narrowly avoiding two vehicles.
Police eventually used a tire deflation device to stop the vehicle. The man is reported to have got out of the vehicle and ran toward nearby homes. During the chase, officers reported seeing him holding a firearm to his head while continuing to ignore commands to surrender.
ASIRT said the situation became increasingly dangerous as the man, still armed, moved closer to occupied residences.
The officer who fired did so during the foot pursuit and is reported to have believed there was an immediate risk to officers and the public, investigators said.
“A pointed firearm presents an immediate risk to the preservation of life,” the report said, noting officers do not have to wait until a weapon is aimed at them before responding.
The agency concluded that, given the circumstances, no other reasonable force options were available to stop the man.
The report highlights Under Section 25 of the Criminal Code of Canada, permits police to use necessary force in carrying out their duties, ASIRT determined the officer’s actions were justified.
“The use of force was proportionate, necessary, and reasonable,” the report concluded. “There are no reasonable grounds to believe that an offence was committed.”
An autopsy conducted by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner found the gunshot fired by the officer did not cause the man’s death.
